Roots of Resistance: African Voices on Environmental Activism

By now, the importance of immediate global climate action is uncontested. And yet, for the most part the spotlight is still claimed by Western climate activists while perspectives from other parts of the world are mostly overlooked. The following discussion “Roots of Resistance – African Voices on Environmental Activism” centers on the opinions of climate activists from the African continent, moderated by Téclaire Ngo Tam.

The panelists are Dean Bhebhe, from the campaign “Don’t Gas Africa” and the think tank “Power Shift Africa”, Hamira Kobusingye, a climate and gender justice activist in Uganda and the founder of Climate Justice Africa as well as Prince Israel Orekha, a local community activist for environment right & climate justice and founder of “Connected Advocacy” in Nigeria.

Together they will discuss the following questions: How can climate measures be taken while simultaneously ensuring good living conditions for people across the globe? Africa has every right to exploit their fossil fuels – but should the continent act on it? Why are especially African women affected by environmental issues? In what way are Africans across the continent impacted by Western policies concerning the climate crisis and the extraction of fossil fuels? And what economic framework does Africa need for a green industrialization?

The discussion is part of the People’s Summit Vienna, the counter-summit to the European Gas Conference and took place March the 23rd at the Atelierhaus of the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna.