Forced displacments Anadarko admits that "once the construction phase of the project commences, it will also mark the beginning of industrial scale land clearance, excavations and earth moving activities" and "that the nature and scale of construction activities will not allow for communities to remain and continue their subsistence livelihoods in close proximity to the LNG processing plant."

The project would result in forced displacements for thousands of people, who are particularly vulnerable and have to this day received no substantial information on what justifies their resettlement and what will happen to them in the short, medium or long term.

The project has failed to carry out mandatory community consultations and to observe due process in pre-existing land rights expropriations and community prior and fair compensations, in breach of laws according to the Centro Terra Viva Mozambique.

Impacts of project research The seismic research related to this project has already affected local communities. Several harpoon fishermen suffered hearing injuries from the seismic guns while fishing. Many fishermen were forced to suspend their fishing activities for extended periods of time. This negatively impacted the communities’ means of subsistence and, according to the local fishermen, they were not given any compensation.

Anadarko’s environmental impact assessment spells out a list of wide-ranging consequences: clearance of mangroves, introduction of invasive species from ballast shipping water, greenhouse gas and toxic sulfur dioxide emissions, soil erosion, and ecological losses to wetlands and the birds, reptiles and amphibians that inhabit them. Coastal seabeds would be dredged to create shipping lanes and a corridor for the 40 km-long pipeline, which scientists say could damage coral reef networks.

Impacts on climate The environmental impact assessment estimates the project's direct emissions at 12.9 million tons of CO2 per year from 2022 onwards. The proposed LNG facility will release a large amount of greenhouse gas emissions, especially methane. The assessment underestimates the impact of methane that will be released during the extraction, processing and transportation of the natural gas off the coast of Mozambique. Methane is 87 times as potent as CO2 over 20 years according to a recent IPCC report. When this is taken in consideration direct emissions are closer to 44.9 million tons.

Impacts on biodiversity The project puts unique ecosystems and endangered species at great risk of complete destruction. The 3,600 ha project would be located on the northern coast of Mozambique, where mangrove forests, coral reefs and seagrass beds are important for biodiversity but remain very vulnerable habitats. The project environmental impact statement also indicates that the nearshore and offshore areas include a number of species, such as sei whales, Indian yellow nosed albatross, leatherback, and hawksbill turtles, that are considered imperiled by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

The project also threatens the Quirimbas National Park, located in the same province (Cabo Delgado) as the project area. Quirimbas was recently designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, and consists of 11 islands, a combination of marine parks and a freshwater system including the Montepuez river and Lake Bilibiza, a bird sanctuary. The islands are home to thousands of species of flora, hundreds of bird species, a variety of reptiles, and nearly fifty species of land mammals including elephants, lions, buffalos, and leopards, while their waters are habitat for eight species of marine mammals.

Impacts of project research The seismic survey (ordered by Anadarko) has been criticized by environmental organisations for its damaging effects on marine animals and financial losses of local fishermen. Many issues have already been reported including as the death of large numbers of shallow-water bottom-feeding sea-grass fish, shellfish and turtles.