The Arab region is a focus of world politics, with authoritarian regimes, significant fossil fuel reserves and histories of colonialism and imperialism. It is also the site of potentially immense green energy resources.
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In this talk as part of the Sussex Development Lecture series on Power, Politics and Hope, Hamza Hamouchene will explore environmental orientalism and the practices of green colonialism and green grabbing in the region. The talk will explore some of these examples, alongside the centrality of Palestinian liberation as a climate justice struggle against US-led empire and global fossil capitalism.
These experiences highlight the importance of fighting for a just energy transition and climate justice, as well as the class and coloniality-conscious approach to climate justice that is necessary for our survival. The presentation will conclude with a discussion of the alternatives available to us, from technology transfer to genuine democratisation and popular sovereignty over land, water, and other resources.
Speaker
Dr 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). His work is focused on issues of extractivism, resources, land and food sovereignty as well as climate, environmental, and energy justice in the Arab region. He is the author/editor of four books: Dismantling Green Colonialism: Energy and Climate Justice in the Arab Region (2023), The Arab Uprisings: A decade of struggles (2022), The Struggle for Energy Democracy in the Maghreb (2017) and The Coming Revolution to North Africa: The Struggle for Climate Justice (2015).
Chair
Peter Newell, Professor of International Relations, University of Sussex.
Accessibility
This event will take place in the IDS Convening Space which is on the 1st floor of the IDS Building. If you need to use a lift then press floor 1A.
If you have any accessibility issues then contact [email protected]
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