Climate Colonialism

As the effects of climate change become increasingly visible across the globe—through devastating floods, prolonged droughts, and rising sea levels—it is becoming impossible to ignore a critical and uncomfortable truth: those suffering the most are often the ones least responsible for the crisis. This global injustice, where the Global South bears the brunt of climate impacts while the Global North continues to benefit from its industrial privileges, is what scholars and activists are calling climate colonialism.

The persistence of colonial tendencies of exploitation in modern climatic dynamics is known as "climate colonialism." It represents the disparity between industrialized and developing countries' contributions to and effects of climate change. Historically, the majority of greenhouse gas emissions have come from early industrialization in the Global North, which includes developed nations in North America, Europe, and portions of East Asia. The Global South, which includes nations in South Asia, Africa, and Latin America, on the other hand, makes a far lesser contribution but suffers disproportionately from its effects on the environment and economy.

 Historically, the majority of greenhouse gas emissions have come from early industrialization in the Global North

This is a problem of climate justice, historical accountability, and structural inequity, not just carbon emissions.

The colonial heritage that made today's climatic gap possible must be addressed before we can comprehend climate colonialism. To support their industrial revolutions, colonial nations took enormous amounts of human and natural resources from the Global South. For the benefit of European empires, forests were destroyed, minerals were extracted, and agricultural systems were upended.

The logic of extraction still applies today, but in more complex ways. Lithium, cobalt, and rare earth metals are extracted from African and South American soils by multinational firms, most of which have their headquarters in the Global North, in order to support the "green transition." These materials are necessary for solar panels, smartphones, and electric cars, but the advantages are rarely distributed fairly to the local populace. Rather, communities suffer from ecosystem degradation, pollution, and displacement.

To support their industrial revolutions, colonial nations took enormous amounts of human and natural resources from the Global South.

The Global South continues to be underprepared, under-resourced, and overburdened as affluent nations invest in climate resilience and strengthen their infrastructure.

For instance, Bangladesh is one of the countries most at risk from cyclones and sea level rise, although contributing less than 0.4% of the world's CO₂ emissions.

Unpredictable rainfall patterns have caused food insecurity in Kenya, yet despite having made relatively little contribution to global warming, the nation is nonetheless under pressure to reduce its carbon footprint.

Rising sea levels could cause small island developing states (SIDS) like Tuvalu and the Maldives to vanish, but their requests for climate funding are frequently denied.

This is a humanitarian problem with roots in inequity, not merely a climate concern.

Today, the carbon offset industry is one of the most pernicious forms of climate colonialism. Corporations and developed nations continue to pollute, but they rationalize their actions by "offsetting" their emissions, typically by funding conservation or forestry initiatives in the Global South.

Developed nations continue to pollute, but they rationalize their actions by funding conservation or forestry initiatives in the Global South.

These initiatives, which are usually marketed as green solutions, usually lead to land grabs in which native communities are uprooted to create space for carbon sinks. To balance the carbon books of the wealthy, those who have lived sustainably on these lands for generations are either evicted or criminalized.

This arrangement turns the right to pollute into a luxury that the North buys and the South pays for.

The unfulfilled promise of climate finance lies at the core of climate diplomacy. In 2009, wealthy countries promised to raise about $100 billion a year to support developing nations' efforts to adapt to climate change and make the transition to greener economy. This goal has not been reached more than ten years later.

The little aid that is given frequently takes the form of loans rather than grants, which increases debt for countries that are already having financial difficulties. Climate finance turns become an instrument of economic dependency rather than a tool of justice.

The North-South split is glaring even in the drive for green energy. Wealthy nations own the majority of solar and wind energy patents, technologies, and capital expenditures. Despite having an abundance of sunlight, only a small portion of the world's solar capacity is deployed in African nations.

Wealthy nations own the majority of solar and wind energy patents, technologies, and capital expenditures.

Moreover, supply chains that exploit workers and the environment in the Global South are a prerequisite for green technologies itself. From the water-stressed communities in lithium-rich Bolivia to the child miners in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the green revolution frequently reflects historical patterns of exploitation.

Individual responsibility is frequently emphasized in the dominant climate narrative, which exhorts people to purchase electric vehicles, recycle more, and fly less. Despite its good intentions, this discourse hides how entrenched climate colonialism is.

The true offenders are not common people, but rather political will, power, and economic structures that continue to shield polluters and penalize the weak. Over 70% of world emissions are caused by just 100 firms, according to a Carbon Majors Report. However, as fossil fuel subsidies persist in the United States, the focus of climate discussions remains on India's ban on plastic straws.

As fossil fuel subsidies persist in the United States, the focus of climate discussions remains on India's ban on plastic straws.

More than awareness is required to end climate colonialism; institutional change is also required:

1. Climate Reparations: Wealthy nations must pay their ecological debt by funding adaptation and mitigation in the Global South—not as charity, but as reparation.

2. Debt Cancellation: Developing nations should not be expected to repay debts when they are spending to survive climate disasters they didn’t cause.

3. Technology Transfer: Green technologies should be shared freely, with investment in local renewable infrastructure and jobs.

4. End Carbon Offsetting Abuse: Environmental programs must respect indigenous rights and ensure land justice.

5. Shift the Narrative: Climate policy must center justice, equity, and historical accountability, not just carbon numbers.

Climate colonialism is a plea to rethink justice on a global scale, not merely a criticism of global emissions. Our fates are connected, if the climate catastrophe has taught us anything. But without justice, solidarity is pointless.

The moment has come to address the past and current exploitation that contributes to inequality and environmental degradation, rather than focusing solely on performative climate concerns. Then and only then can we create a truly equitable and environmentally friendly future.

About the Author

I am Sanchari Mukherjee, a student doing Masters in English from the reputed Presidency University, Calcutta. I love writing and appreciate art in all forms. Being a literature major, I have learnt to critically comment on things of various kinds. I take a deep interest in deconstructing the various essential structures and revealing the mechanisms of their working. Really glad that you came across my blog, hope you found it covering some critical insights essential for progress!