Energy transition: Global South delegation undertakes lobby tour to Europe

Nathan Tamarapreye, Yenagoa

A delegation of Global South scholars and activists is embarking on a lobbying and advocacy tour of European capitals to discuss the urgent issue of an Ecosocial energy transition.

The seven participants are following up on a global manifesto published this year decrying new green colonialism and urging more equitable approaches to achieve a fossil-free future.

This is contained in a statement issued by Miss Kome Odhomor, Media/Communications Lead at Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) made available on Monday in Yenagoa.

HOMEF, a Nigeria-based environmental group is coordinating the coalition of groups making up the delegation.

The delegation will hold public events, meet with policymakers and NGOs, and engage with members of the media in Berlin, Brussels, and London from May 29 to June 2, 2023.

According to the statement, the mission of the delegation is to inject Global South perspectives into current European policy discussions around energy and the environment.

“The delegation will include the Right Livelihood award winner, a Nigerian activist Nnimmo Bassey, widely published Argentine sociologist and philosopher Maristella Svampa, the Fijian international human rights lawyer Kavita Naidu, Indian activist-researcher Madhuresh Kumar.

“Brazilian-Spanish activist-scholar Breno Bringel, Venezuelan linguist and ecofeminist Liliana Buitrago, and South African-Swedish scholar-activist Vasna Ramasar.

“The tour is organized by the Ecosocial and Intercultural Pact of the South, the Global Just Transition project of the Institute for Policy Studies, and the Global Tapestry of Alternatives,” the statement read in part.

The statement indicates that while in Germany, the delegation will 8n Berlin, meet the press in the morning of May 30 and hold a public event co-sponsored by the Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung at 5 pm (Str. der Pariser Kommune.

In Brussels, Maristella Svampa will participate in a public event “The Green Transition and Critical Minerals” on May 30 at 12:30 at CCND.

Also in Brussels, on May 31, the delegation will meet with NGOs at Mundo-madou at noon co-sponsored by Oikos.

The itinerary further shows that in the evening of May 31 in Brussels, the delegation will hold a public event at 6 pm co-sponsored by Broederlijk Delen at GEC in Ghent (Kon. Maria Hendrikaplein.

In London, the delegation will meet with NGOs on June 1 beginning at 1 pm at Kairos House, The Bookroom, Essex Hall, 1-6 Essex Street.

While on June 2, in London, there will be a public event at Pelican House at 6 pm (144 Cambridge Heath Rd, Bethnal Green).