Climate Colonialism – a Travel Guide through Origins, Theory, and Case Studies

The term “climate colonialism” has achieved some reach in recent years, both in scientific publications and in the wider public. Its meaning, however, is far from clear-cut. It connects the history of colonialism, dispossession, and racism with the unequal responsibility for global warming and the unequal distribution of its consequences. Furthermore, the term criticizes Northern-dominated international climate policy. In this contribution, I follow the traces that lead the reader to an early use of the term or its predecessor, environmental colonialism. I then describe academic efforts to clarify the meaning of climate colonialism. In the last part, I make a foray through research areas and case studies in which the term is productively engaged. For analytical clarity, I propose three thematic areas for the use of climate colonialism.