“Green Colonialism is the new form of settler-colonialism, rooted in so-called “green extraction,” impacting the lands and lives of Indigenous communities globally. To reclaim our relationship to the land and successfully demand Land Back, which will be our survival mechanisms through climate chaos, we must combat all forms of Green Colonialism. Green Colonialism includes false solutions to the climate crisis, which are inherently anti-Indigenous and non-consensually deadlock communities globally into a relationship with industry, violating Indigenous Peoples’ relationship with the land.” – Ash LaMont 

The term Green Colonialism stems from Indigenous international spaces. The movement to stop green colonialism is growing in various communities around the world, as Indigenous Peoples resist harmful false solutions to the climate crisis. The “green energy transition” is not being pursued to benefit the people or the planet; its purpose is to perpetuate capitalism, imperialism, the military industrial complex, and war.

The challenge of Green Colonialism is significant. Among key “energy-transition” metals, 97% of nickel, 89% of copper, 79% of lithium and 68% of cobalt reserves and resources in the “U.S.” are located within 35 miles of Native American reservations. Worldwide, 54% of energy transition minerals are located on or near land owned by Indigenous groups. 

But the truth is, we cannot mine our way out of climate chaos. Colonialism is colonialism, extraction is extraction, and false solutions dump problems on future generations. Together we can work toward real solutions, including Indigenous Sovereignty, land back, free prior and informed consent, and living in right relationship with Mother Earth.