We present the ODG’s video serie “Uncovering the Green Transition” about the role of private investors in the transition and the alternatives to make it just

The videos are part of the series “Uncovering the green transition”, produced by Quepo, in which we critically analyze the European Green Deal, the “green and digital” transition policies behind it and its financing.We conclude that the European economic recovery and transition policies, financed with billions of public money, are not as fair, green or feminist as it is said. They continue to promote a growth model based on public-private partnerships, the digitization of life and extractivism, destroying territories in the global south. An alternative approach should be built with policies that are based on getting sovereignty back, defending collective rights and respecting the biophysical limits of the planet.

Video 1: The financing of the green transition

The strategy of the EU to tackle the climate crisis and promote a transition away from fossil fuels is the European Green Deal. The transition is seen as an opportunity to pursue economic growth, which they frame as “green growth,”. This would be achieved by developing “green” technologiesy and a digital economy.

However, this requires a lot of money: 1 trillion euros over the next 10 years. Our governments, however, facing reduced income and increasing debt, do not have this money.This missing money is what we call the “financing gap”. And how do they pretend to fill this gap?

We talk about it in the video:

In conclusion, many of the projects that are crucial for a real just and green transition are local, community based, small-scale, and not financially profitable. Using public money to make “green growth” profitable is not only unfair but also inefficient.

 

Vide 2: Alternatives to finance a real green and just transition

Our governments should consider a different approach to financing a truly green and just transition: changing our societies while respecting the planetary boundaries, taking into account the voices of citizens, and satisfying the basic human needs of every person in the world.

The first step is to look for alternative sources of money instead of private investments. What are these alternatives?

We explain it in the second video:

To sum up, financing a real, just, and green transition requires obtaining money by taxing the rich, canceling debt instead of depending on private, profit-seeking investors and creating real public banks that finance truly transformative projects.

Video 3: The impacts of the EU transition and green extractivism

In this video we discuss the energy transition’s impacts and the intensive use of critical minerals it requires. It exacerbates existing extractivist trends in resource rich countries, most of them in the Global South.

 

Video 4: Hidrogen, the major player in the energy transition

In this video we talk about the great protagonist of the transition: green hydrogen. This energy vector is proposed as a solution to decarbonize the economy, but its large-scale production also generates environmental and social impacts on the territories.

Video 5: Where are care and feminisms in the transition?

In this video we discuss the importance of care and feminism in the “green” and digital transition proposed by the EU and the implications it will have for women and LGBT peoples.