extrACTIVISM – Two Decolonial Perspectives

Venue: W3_Saal Nernstweg 32-34, 22765 Hamburg

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Extractivism is a system of exploitation based on the idea that anything and anyone can be exploited for profit. Natural resources are extracted from the ground, humans are displaced through slavery and colonialism, forests are logged to make space for industrial agriculture.

While local communities in the Global South suffer the consequences such as contaminated water, armed conflict, or disrupted family structures, the profit is made far away from the site of extraction, by corporations in the Global North.

The event will give an introduction into the topic of extractivism and explain how it is connected to global capitalism and colonialism. The panelists will discuss the impact of extractivist projects on indigenous communities in Papua New Guinea and Ecuador and shine a light on local resistance. The event will give insights into a topic that concerns us all and inspire participants to rethink the relationships between humans and nature, aside from the Western logic of exploitation.

No prior knowledge on the topic is necessary to join the event.

Gabriela Costa is a climate and social justice activist from Ecuador. As a member of the grassroots movement Unite for Climate Action, she is advocating for equal participation of BIPoC and LGBTQI+ in the Climate debate. Through her experiences with building partnerships between Municipalities, Academia, and Indigenous Groups she has gained a deep understanding of the impacts of extractivism in Ecuador.

Dr. Betty Lovai is the former dean of the Faculty of Social and Cultural Sciences at University of Papua New Guinea and currently part of an expert group for the government of Papua New Guinea (PNG) that negotiates restitution claims around environmental disasters caused by mines. Her visit to Germany is part of an ERASMUS-Plus project on extractivism in PNG, including the mass “object” extractivism, primarily during the German colonial rule, and the present extractivism of raw materials that are mainly related to the green energy transition, such as tropical wood for wind turbine blades and rare earths and copper for the electric motor industry.