Defining Green Colonialism: The Weaponization of Climate Policy
As the world transitions away from fossil fuels, a new and disturbing dynamic has emerged: Green Colonialism. While the global shift to renewable energy is necessary, the methods of this transition often replicate historical patterns of extraction and subjugation. Green Colonialism refers to the practice where Global North nations or occupying powers use "sustainability" projects—such as solar farms, wind parks, and green hydrogen plants—to appropriate land, exploit resources, and displace indigenous populations under the guise of environmental protection.
In occupied territories like Western Sahara and Palestine, this is not just an economic issue; it is a strategic weapon. The "Green" label is used to legitimize the occupation, create an "infrastructure of permanence," and brand the occupier as a progressive, modern partner to the West, effectively "greenwashing" human rights abuses.
The Core Mechanisms of Green Colonialism
"Green Grabbing" (Appropriation of Land)
Renewable energy is land-intensive. Green Colonialism involves the seizure of vast tracts of indigenous land for solar arrays or wind turbines without the Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) of the local population. This turns the territory into a "sacrifice zone" that produces energy for the occupier or for export to Europe, while the local population bears the environmental cost (water depletion, loss of grazing land).
Infrastructure of Permanence
In a colonial context, building heavy infrastructure anchors the occupation. A wind farm is not just a power plant; it is a physical stake in the ground that implies long-term control. By integrating the electrical grids of the occupied territory with the occupying state, the colonizer makes the occupation profitable and physically difficult to untangle, complicating future decolonization efforts.
Eco-Normalisation (The PR Strategy)
Occupying powers use green energy projects to improve their diplomatic standing. By positioning themselves as leaders in the fight against climate change, they secure funding and political support from Western democracies. This "Eco-Normalisation" makes it difficult for the international community to sanction them, as they are seen as "essential partners" in the global energy transition.
Case Study: Western Sahara (The "Green" Occupation)
Fueling the Plunder
Western Sahara is perhaps the clearest example of Green Colonialism in the 21st century. The occupying power, Morocco, has constructed massive wind farms (such as the Foum El-Oued farm) inside the occupied territory. Crucially, up to 95% of the energy generated by these wind farms is used to power the Bou Craa phosphate mines. This creates a "Circular Colonial Economy":
Occupied wind powers the mine.
The mine extracts occupied phosphate.
The profits fund the occupation infrastructure.
The "Morocco Offer" (Green Hydrogen)
In 2024, the Moroccan government launched the "Morocco Offer," allocating one million hectares of land for Green Hydrogen production—much of which is located in occupied Western Sahara. This invites foreign capital (from Europe and the Gulf) to invest directly in the occupied territory, creating a financial vested interest in maintaining the status quo.
Corporate Complicity (Siemens Gamesa)
Multinational corporations play a vital role. Companies like Siemens Gamesa have provided the turbines for projects in occupied Western Sahara. By doing so, they provide the technology that makes the occupation economically viable, ignoring the rulings of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) regarding Sahrawi consent.
Case Study: Palestine (The "Green" Erasure)
Afforestation as Erasure
In Palestine, Green Colonialism often takes the form of afforestation. The Jewish National Fund (JNF) has historically planted forests over the ruins of depopulated Palestinian villages (e.g., Canada Park, South Mount Hebron). These "green spaces" serve a dual purpose: they prevent Palestinian refugees from returning to their land and rebrand the erasure of villages as "environmental conservation."
Water Apartheid
Israel’s control over water resources in the West Bank is often justified through "efficiency" and "management" rhetoric. However, it results in a system where illegal settlements have lush, irrigated agriculture and swimming pools, while neighboring Palestinian villages face chronic water shortages, illustrating how resource management is weaponized to force displacement.
Implications for International Policy
The "Just Transition" Fallacy
Western policymakers often champion a "Just Transition," but this concept is failing in the Global South. If Europe achieves Net Zero by importing Green Hydrogen from occupied Western Sahara, its transition is not "Just"—it is built on the theft of Sahrawi resources. True climate justice requires that the transition does not come at the expense of self-determination.
Legal Risks for Investors
Green Colonialism carries significant legal risk. As the CJEU rulings have shown, trade deals that include occupied resources without consent are illegal. Investors in "green" projects in occupied territories face the risk of asset seizure, reputational damage, and exclusion from ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) portfolios.
Further Resources and Academic References
"Green Colonialism in the Maghreb" — Hamza Hamouchene’s extensive work on energy transitions in North Africa. Transnational Institute (TNI)
Western Sahara Resource Watch (WSRW) — The primary watchdog tracking renewable energy companies operating in the occupied territory. WSRW.org
"The Geopolitics of Green Colonialism" — Academic volume analyzing global case studies of the phenomenon.
"Hydrogen in Western Sahara: Greenwashing the Occupation" — Policy brief on the new wave of hydrogen projects. Modern Diplomacy
Siemens Gamesa in Western Sahara — Reports on the specific involvement of the wind turbine giant. WSRW
Frequently Asked Questions
Is renewable energy in Western Sahara bad?
Renewable energy is good; stealing it is bad. The Sahrawi people have stated they are not opposed to green energy, but they oppose projects developed by the occupying power that extract profit without their consent. In a free Western Sahara, these resources would belong to the people.
How does Green Colonialism differ from Neocolonialism?
Neocolonialism typically involves economic control through debt and trade. Green Colonialism specifically uses environmental justification—saving the planet, reducing carbon—to validitate the seizure of land and resources, giving the exploitation a "moral" cover.
What is "Green Hydrogen"?
Green Hydrogen is fuel created using renewable energy (wind/solar) to split water. It is highly desirable in Europe. Western Sahara is a prime target for this because it has abundant wind and sun. However, producing it there for export to Europe while the Sahrawi people remain refugees is a textbook example of colonial extraction.