Mediating Energy Resources Development and Environmental Concerns: An Initial Step Towards the Energy Transition

This article examines two overreaching dimensions that represent the initial step towards the energy transition in the context of oil and gas development. It is agreed that the problems facing the climate system are caused by human activity, and oil and gas production plays a particular role. Therefore, it appears important to consider the dimension related to the integration of environmental standards as the initial step of the ecological transition from the production of energy from fossil-fuel sources. This study is then based on the development of legislation in sub-Saharan African countries, which illustrate perfectly how new constraints are imposed on an activity that was originally a profit-driven activity and is now moving towards greater environmental preservation. In this sense, the first part of our article focuses on the common ground of environmental protection standards in oil and gas production. This is what we call the environmental protection standards in oil and gas production. The second part of the article analyses the reconciliation of soft law standards, which are of legal significance or the power of hard law through the legislative process, and the liability for environmental harm in the various legislations.