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Green European Horizons Academy: Good for All (Belgrade)
Join us in Belgrade for the third Green Horizons Academy as we delve into the examination of extractivist and neocolonial practices in Europe.
About the event
GEF’s Green European Horizons Academy aims to expand the imaginarium of the green movement towards an alternative livable future equally across Europe and beyond. After the first two successful Academies, (1) The Good Story (focused on green narratives) and (2) The Good Collective (dealt with structures for resilient green organisations), with this Green European Horizons Academy: Good for All, the organisers wish to address raising extractivist and neocolonial practices being enacted inside the territory of the EU, in member and candidate EU countries, and outside the borders of the EU, especially in the light of the green energy transition and the ambitious goals of carbon neutrality.
What to expect
Under the noble goal of climate change mitigation, the mainstream decarbonisation agenda demands not just cuts in the use of old materials but also the exponential growth of demand for new ones. Thus far, it is blatantly evident that exploiting natural resources does not mean good for everyone. Neither profit nor pollution is evenly distributed worldwide and locally. With the desire to find answers to the questions of who earns and who pays with health, dependency, and poverty and how to achieve well-being for all while avoiding extractivist practices, we hope to contribute to both the domestic and the international networks of green actors by forging new ties and alliances and setting the basis for further discussion on EU’s policies regarding renewable energy.
In this Academy, we aim to disseminate both academic insights and activist perspectives on extractivism. Our discussions will span its historical roots, present-day practices, role in the global economy, and impact on international politics. We will delve into the conceptual framework of extractivism, exploring its potential and constraints, and examining its intersections with neocolonialism and exploitation. However, our primary emphasis will be on the escalating prevalence of contemporary extractivism, highlighting the environmental risks and harm it poses, as well as the grassroots efforts and local struggles against its detrimental effects.
Context
Positioned as an attractive prospect for foreign multinational companies and trade ministries, the Western Balkan countries are often marketed as a region with “low earnings and low environmental standards.” Unfortunately, this portrayal puts at risk the remaining protected nature areas, drinking water resources, and the potential for sustainable and organic agriculture. The looming threat comes from an escalating “mining frenzy” and unsustainable hydropower projects, poised to compromise various locations. Concurrently, a robust grassroots movement has emerged over the past decade, opposing extractivism in its various forms. Your presence and expertise could significantly benefit this movement. Our goal is to strengthen both domestic and international networks of green actors by fostering new connections and coalitions.
Speakers
- Iskra Krstić – Polekol
- Diego Marin – European Environmental Bureau
- Jan Moril – Earthworks
- Shanai Matteson – Tamarack Water Alliance
- Johnny Barber – Honor the Earth
- Allen Richardson – Honor the Earth
- Anishinaabe elder Ricky DeFoe – Fond du Lac Band of Minnesota Chippewa
- Lynda Sullivan – Yes to Life, No to Mining
- Marijana Petkovic – Alliance of Environmental Organizations of Serbia – Gornje Nedeljice Village
- Francisco Venes – Unidos em Defesa de Covas do Barroso (UCDB)
- Majda Ibraković – Eko forum Zenica
Programme
February 15th Thursday
14:30 – 15:00 Registration
15:00 – 15:30 Setting the scene – presentation of the program and expectations
15:30 – 17:00 From global to local: getting to know each other and share different perspectives on green transition and extractivism – first part
17:00 – 17:30 Pause
17:30 – 19:00 From global to local: getting to know each other and share various perspectives on green transition and extractivism – second part
February 16th Friday
10:00 – 10:30 Opening and welcome
10:30 – 12:00 Lecture and discussion: What do we mean when we say extractivism – Iskra Krstić, Polekol
12:00 – 12:30 Pause
12:30 – 13:30 Lecture and discussion: EU Critical Raw Material Act and Green New Deal – Diego Marin, European Environmental Bureau
13:30 – 15:00 Lunch
15:00 – 16:30 Lecture and discussion: Right to Say No
- with Jan Moril, Earthworks, Shanai Matteson, Tamarack Water Alliance, Johnny Barber, Honor the Earth, Allen Richardson, Honor the Earth
16:30 – 17:00 Pause
17:00 – 19:00 Panel discussion: Moving from Extraction to Regeneration
- with Anishinaabe elder Ricky DeFoe, Fond du Lac Band of Minnesota Chippewa, Lynda Sullivan, Yes to Life, No to Mining, Marijana Petkovic, Alliance of Environmental Organizations of Serbia – Gornje Nedeljice Village, Francisco Venes, Unidos em Defesa de Covas do Barroso (UCDB), Majda Ibraković, Eko forum Zenica
20:00 Dinner
Practicalities
Date : 15-17 February
Location: Belgrade, Miljenko Dereta Space, Dobračina 55, Belgrade
Registration: If you are interested in participating, please send an email to: organizacija.polekol@gmail.com
The event is organised by the Green European Foundation with the support of PolEkol and the financial support of the European Parliament to the Green European Foundation.