The recent gas leak at the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) project is yet another stark reminder of the dangers posed by fossil gas infrastructure. Located off the coasts of Senegal and Mauritania, GTA has been promoted by the British Petroleum Company PLC as a major economic opportunity—but instead, it is proving to be a source of environmental risk and social harm. The continued expansion of fossil fuel projects in the region threatens coastal ecosystems, local fisheries, and the livelihoods of frontline communities. Even more concerning is the delayed and opaque communication surrounding the leak, further highlighting the fossil fuel industry’s long history of secrecy. How many more crises will it take for decision-makers to acknowledge that fossil fuels have no future?
The Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) Principles, developed by 350.org and civil society allies—including in Senegal—underscore the urgent need for transparency and public access to information. Communities have a fundamental right to know about the risks associated with fossil fuel projects—whether it be gas leaks, financial liabilities, or long-term environmental damage. When governments and fossil fuel companies withhold critical information, they not only jeopardize public safety but also undermine democratic participation in energy decision-making. Without strong accountability mechanisms, the so-called “energy transition” risks becoming a smokescreen for continued fossil fuel expansion, locking African nations into an unsustainable and polluting energy system.
Rather than investing in dangerous and polluting gas infrastructure, governments must seize this moment to accelerate a truly just energy transition—one that is clean, inclusive, and community-driven. Renewable energy solutions like solar and wind offer safer, decentralized alternatives that prioritize climate resilience, energy access, and local economic empowerment. Countries like Senegal—recipients of JETP financing—must uphold justice and equity by investing in renewables rather than prolonging dependency on fossil gas, which exacerbates climate vulnerability and economic instability.
The GTA gas leak is not just an isolated incident—it is a warning. Fossil fuel projects will continue to harm people and the planet unless governments take decisive action. The path forward must center people, not polluters. Governments must strengthen transparency, hold fossil fuel companies accountable, and accelerate renewable energy deployment. The world cannot afford more delays, and frontline communities deserve more than empty promises. Now is the time to turn commitments into action and invest in a just, fossil-free future.
Christian Hounkannou, 350Africa.org