‘Climate criminal should not be
A campaign has been launched against the main sponsor of the tournament, Totalenergies, which has many
Just before the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) kicked off in Ivory Coast on 13 January, an Africa-wide campaign was launched on social media challenging the tournament’s main sponsor, Totalenergies.
“Football captures the heartbeat of Africa,” said the Magamba Network, a Zimbabwe-based media organisation that convened the campaign. “[It is] the most widely loved, watched and played sport which unites the continent.
“But while we love football, we hate pollution. And even more than that, we’re concerned that companies like Total Energies are infiltrating our beautiful game with their greenwashing sponsorship.”
The #Kicktotaloutofafcon campaign is demanding that Totalenergies stops any planned and new fossil fuel projects, seriously invest in renewables and begin a just and equitable transition for staff and communities involved in existing projects. It is also demanding that the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the organisers of the Afcon, end all sponsorship deals with Totalenergies immediately.
The campaign, whose East Africa content hub is run by Buni Media and West Africa work is covered by hip-hop news show Journal Rappé, accuses the French multinational oil company of “sportswashing” in an attempt to distract from its negative footprint on the continent.
Totalenergies SA said it had no comment.
Polluters not welcome
The Kick Polluters Out movement, which forms part of the campaign, comprises rappers, cartoonists, content creators, satirists, climate justice activists and citizen journalists from around Africa. It has the aim of “fighting against ‘sportswashing’ and greenwashing by big polluters”.
Keyti, a prominent Senegalese rapper, cofounded Journal Rappé with fellow prominent Senegalese rapper Xuman. The programme, which has a Youtube channel, uses rap music to communicate local political and social issues, including climate change, to young Senegalese people.
“Since we’ve started working on this campaign there are lots of things we’ve realised about fossil fuels – how they are destroying our continent and how young Africans need to be more aware of the consequences [their use] is having on our lives,” said Keyti.
“Our motto is to empower young people through information because the truth is young Africans are the ones at this point who can really change the dynamic in our country.”
Samm Farai Monro, cofounder of the Magamba Network as well as of Kick Polluters Out, said companies like Totalenergies are developing new oil and gas exploration across the continent despite scientists saying there should be no new drilling of fossil fuels because the Earth’s carbon budget has been exhausted. He also pointed out that climate change is having a disproportionate impact on Africa.
Energy for oil and gas development
Totalenergies is developing more oil and gas resources in Africa than any other company. It is the biggest shareholder (62%) of one of the largest fossil fuel projects under way globally: the East African Crude Oil Pipeline, which will span 1,443km across eastern Africa and transport crude oil from Uganda to Tanzania.
Investors in the project have received much backlash and Totalenergies has received criticism for investing between $3.5-billion and $5-billion. It is estimated that the pipeline will emit 379 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO2) in its 25-year lifetime, most of which will be from downstream emissions, according to a study by the Climate Accountability Institute.
In July 2023, Human Rights Watch released a report which estimated that the development of the pipeline will ultimately displace more than 100,000 people. Although Totalenergies has set aside $45-million for compensation (a mere 1% of the total cost of construction), many people have not been compensated and the project has already caused food insecurity and children having to leave school. In northern Mozambique, Totalenergies’ $20-billion natural gas project has exacerbated conflict in the region, with locals claiming that the majority of jobs created have gone to foreigners or economically advanced Mozambicans.
The #Kicktotaloutofafcon campaign is also taking place in partnership with Greenpeace Africa, which criticised Totalenergies’ sponsorship of Rugby World Cup 2023. Totalenergies was a sponsor, and Greenpeace shared a video of oil filling up the Stade de France in Paris to illustrate how the fossil fuel industry produces a stadium full of oil every three hours and 37 minutes. Greenpeace Africa said Totalenergies’ continuing drilling and exploration contradict the recent COP28 resolution that mandated a global shift away from fossil fuels. “Africa’s rich natural heritage and the wellbeing of its people should not be compromised for short-term profits,” said Thandile Chinyavanhu, Greenpeace Africa’s campaigner against oil and gas.
Climate activism in sport
It might not seem like it, but sports organisations have a responsibility to take part in the fight against climate change.
Daily Maverick previously reported on the symbiotic relationship between the climate crisis and sports. Dr Pedro Monteiro, chief oceanographer at the Council for Scientific