"The European Union's decision to declare natural gas a transitional energy is extremely important for Mozambique, given that the country has the third largest known reserves of natural gas in the world."

The energy transition is being defined as the path to transforming the global fossil-based energy sector to zero carbon in the second half of this century. At its core is the need to reduce energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions to limit climate change. Decarbonizing the energy sector requires urgent action on a global scale. While a global energy transition is underway, parallel actions are needed to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate the effects of climate change.

Natural gas has an important role to play in a world completely free of polluting gases. Forecasts made in the context of the Sustainable Development Scenario (SDS) demonstrate a continued, long-term role for natural gas, even when demand levels are reduced from current levels. For example, in the United States, India and China - the three main emitters of greenhouse gases - natural gas in particular has the potential to remain an integral component of the low-carbon energy transition in the coming decades, depending on the policies and technologies in place.

A clear indication of the importance of natural gas as a transitional energy was the European Union's endorsement of gas as a green energy source.

"This narrative should focus not only on the request for funds from cooperation partners to solve specific problems related to climate change, but above all on a strategic vision of Mozambique as a regional energy power with global potential"

The European Union's decision to declare natural gas a transitional energy is extremely important for Mozambique, as the country has the third largest known reserves of natural gas in the world, the exploitation of which could have a huge multiplier effect on the national economy and raise Mozambique from one of the poorest countries in the world (LDC) to a middle-income country over the next fifteen years, doubling its GDP.

African countries, especially the Least Developed Countries like Mozambique, in addition to net-zero objectives and strategies, should actively participate in the international debate on climate adaptation, climate funds and a just and inclusive transition.

Given the fact that Mozambique, as well as other low-income countries, face climate change challenges in the agriculture and tourism sectors, it is imperative that the share of climate funds allocated to them is evenly distributed between adaptation and mitigation needs. Contrary to what has happened, as is currently the case, the majority of climate funds allocated to low-income countries go to mitigation projects, thus depriving these countries of the adaptive capacity needed to protect themselves from the impact of climate change.

The structure of climate funds is also a major concern for low-income countries, particularly Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPCs) such as Mozambique. The climate funds provided to these countries have predominantly been loans and not grants, as initially agreed in the Paris Climate Change Agreements. The terms of these loans are prohibitive, meaning that the Least Developed Countries most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change have the least access to climate funds.

Mozambique's narrative in the climate change debate and the relevance of its Energy Transition Plan will depend entirely on its ability to establish a national strategic vision and define short-, medium- and long-term solutions appropriate to its context beyond 2050. This narrative should focus not only on the request for funds from cooperation partners to solve specific problems related to climate change, but above all on a strategic vision of Mozambique as a regional energy power with global potential. (Club of Mozambique)