The geopolitics of Green colonialism and Emerging Green Sacrifice Zones in Africa

Date: June 25th 2025

Time: 2PM GMT (worldtimebuddy) 

Registration Link

The Global Tapestry of Alternatives (GTA) Thematic Energy and Alternatives group is hosting a series of webinars addressing some of the socio-ecological implications of the so-called “energy transition.” As the climate emergency has sparked a push to transition the global energy system away from fossil fuels and towards so-called renewable energy sources and electrified alternative forms of transport, manufacturing, etc. This has fueled a rush towards mining of critical minerals needed for ‘renewable’ energy – much of it targeting ecosystems and human communities in the Global South, Indigenous lands, or other marginalized areas. The polycrisis — including the worsening of the climate crisis, the depletion of ‘cheap’ fossil fuels, geopolitical conflicts, and the reordering of global trade — threatens to accelerate what some are calling “green colonialism.” 

The previous sessions focused on the Geopolitics of Green Colonialism, Decolonising the Energy Transition in the Polycrisis as well as on emerging green sacrifice zones in "Cold regions". This session will turn to the African continent to explore how the energy transition is reshaping territories into new sacrifice zones, and to discuss the challenges and struggles that lie ahead. 

List of Speakers
Alexandria Hotz is the South African Lead Coordinator for WoMin African Alliance, a feminist organization advocating for women's rights in the context of extractive industries and environmental justice. Born and raised in Cape Town, Alex grew up in a politically active household with a strong socialist background. 

Hibist Kassa is Policy Interface Fellow at the Institute for Environmental Futures, University of Leicester. She is an Associate Editor with the Agrarian South Network Research Bulletin, a tricontinental network of researchers in Africa, Latin America and Asia. 

Hamza Hamouchene is a London-based Algerian researcher-activist, commentator and a founding member of Algeria Solidarity Campaign (ASC), Environmental Justice North Africa (EJNA) and the North African Food Sovereignty Network (Siyada). He is currently the Arab region Programme Coordinator at the Transnational Institute (TNI) 

Muhammed Saidykhan is a global human and environmental rights activist with over 10 years of experience in management, movement building, development programming, strategic campaigning and organizing for social change. A Gambian born, was founding youth chair of ActionAid International’s youth working group and lead coordinator for the Activista initiative, where he leads and guide workwith young people in 47 countries globally.
 
The webinar will be moderated by Vasna Ramasar. Vasna is an academic and activist from South Africa living and working in Sweden. She has always been involved in environmental justice, politics of environment and alternatives to development. She is a member of the Facilitation Team of the GTA. 

More information here