“Political-economy of the project and its likely impacts on social and environment rights” 22 June 2020

A joint special report compiled by the Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association and Centre for Natural Resources Governance on the Sengwa coal plant project, provides that the multi-billion-dollar project is doomed. “Despite its efforts to support climate energy issues, the country continues to expand fossil fuel projects and this is an indication of a regression in terms of addressing climate change. Given that coal is a finite resource and the need for the country to fully embrace renewable energy by 2040, there is an outright risk that Zimbabwe is investing in a stranded asset,” reads the report.

…There is also a huge concern that the Sengwa project will negate the progress that the country has made towards addressing climate change. Already the investment is coming at a time when the world is moving towards renewable energy and battling to control global warming,” it reads. The report also says Zimbabwe “is now intensifying coal exploitation against a growing global campaign to decarbonise the energy sector” and “coal is quickly becoming an obsolete mineral and Zimbabwe is now under pressure to exploit this resource before it is completely banned.”