The most biodiverse areas of the planet are also the most culturally diverse, this biocultural diversity must be cared for and safeguarded as our existence as humanity is linked to the health of these megadiverse places. Making this correlation explicit is crucial to deepen the conversation in these spaces where biodiversity of fauna and flora is discussed, and cultural diversity and the work of the communities are left aside. It is also key to strengthen the links between the most biodiverse regions and also those most plundered by the fossil fuel industry, which is responsible for the greatest amount of greenhouse gas emissions, in order to create a more solid and organized network of resistance and action against the extractivism that we see increasing more and more. In this way we will address how the initiatives of 'non-proliferation or extractivism and fossil fuel free zones' have been developing both in Latin America and Africa.

To Register

To register for events in the “Green Zone” you must go to https://proco16.com/ and click on the icon for the date of the event (October 21). From there you can scroll, or search to find the event (Lazos sur-sur: Africa, Pacífico, Latinoamérica). You must enter your details to complete the registration.

Speakers:

Moderator: Seble Samuel, Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, Ethiopia

Seble Samuel is an Ethiopian-Canadian community organizer and climate justice campaigner. Based in Addis Abeba, she is the Head of Africa Campaigns and Advocacy for the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative, campaigning to stop fossil fuel expansion and propel a just energy transition and development alternatives. She is also a co-founder of the urban sustainability non-profit Lem Ketema, where she co-founded Menged Le Sew, Ethiopia’s open streets movement, co-created Cycle Techyalesh, a free women’s bicycle school, and coordinates Ye Zembil Melse, a national campaign for a plastic-free Ethiopia. Seble holds a BA in Geography and Anthropology from McGill University and an MSc in Environmental Change and Management from the University of Oxford.

Lorraine Chiponda, Africa Network Coordinator, Global Gas & Oil Network

Lorraine Chiponda is an avid movement builder who has been in the climate justice space for nearly a decade having engaged as an activist, a community rights defender, and a regional climate and energy coordinator. Lorraine is keen on decolonial politics in the energy and climate space with a focus on centering alternative pathways and systems that rebuild transformative power within communities and with people. She now embarks on a role under the Global Gas & Oil Network as the Africa Network Coordinator. In this role Lorraine engages with a broad spectrum of African civil society organisations and groups supporting and strengthening a just and equitable phase out of fossil fuels towards clean energy. Previously, Lorraine worked as a Facilitator of the Africa Movement Building Space and co-facilitated the Don’t Gas Africa campaign. She was also the Coordinator of the Africa Coal Network, where she organised and supported efforts to disrupt coal in Africa through strengthening and supporting coal struggles and advocating for a divestment from coal through a just transition.

Pascal Mirindi, Extinction Rebellion Université de Goma, RDC

Pascal MIRINDI, Congolese living in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo. An environmental activist who has been fighting for many years against the fossil fuel industry in the Congo, including in protected areas such as Virunga National Park, the oldest park in Africa. Today, he is working with other activists against the Congolese government's plan to sell 27 oil blocks and three gas blocks, some of which are in protected areas and peat bogs.

Yuvelis Natalia Morales, Alianza Colombia Libre de Fracking

Caretaker of the water and biodiversity of the Magdalena River, daughter of artisanal fishermen of the middle Magdalena River valley, judge of the International Tribunal for the Rights of Nature, municipal youth councilor of Puerto Wilches, member of the coordination of the Colombia Free of Fracking Alliance, and of the Latin American coordination of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Juan Bay, Nacionalidad Waorani - Ecuador

Juan Bay is an Indigenous leader from Ecuador, President of the main Waorani organization in Ecuador, known as NAWE (Waorani Nationality of Ecuador), and one of the main leaders involved in the referendum against oil exploration in the Yasuní National Park.