Ecological imperialism

Stakeholder capitalism
Green colonialism

Nature

The ‘green’ agenda based on a ‘stakeholder capitalism’ strategy (governments and others facilitating the needs of private capital) has co-opted genuine concerns about the environment to pursue new multi-billion-dollar global investment opportunities.

Background

Ecological imperialism emerged as a recognized global phenomenon in the late 20th century, when historians and ecologists traced the profound environmental transformations caused by European colonial expansion. Scholars such as Alfred W. Crosby highlighted how the deliberate and accidental introduction of Old World species dramatically altered indigenous ecosystems worldwide. This recognition has since deepened, with contemporary research linking ecological imperialism to ongoing biodiversity loss, invasive species proliferation, and persistent environmental inequalities across continents.

Incidence

Ecological imperialism has manifested globally through the large-scale introduction of non-native species, agricultural practices, and land management systems imposed by colonial and neo-colonial powers. These interventions have led to widespread ecological disruption, loss of biodiversity, and the displacement of indigenous land-use systems across continents, notably in the Americas, Africa, Australia, and the Pacific. The enduring impacts continue to threaten local ecosystems and traditional livelihoods, making ecological imperialism a persistent and significant world problem.
In 2022, the expansion of oil palm plantations in Papua New Guinea exemplified ecological imperialism, as foreign agribusinesses replaced native forests with monocultures, undermining local biodiversity and indigenous land rights.

Claim

If you read 2020 report Nature for Sale, by Friends of the Earth, you might conclude that we are witnessing a type of green imperialism that is using genuine concerns about the
environment to pursue a familiar agenda of extractivism, colonisation and commodification – the same old mindset, greenwashed and rolled out for public consumption. For some, things seem set to remain the same – business as usual.

Counter-claim

Ecological imperialism is an overblown concept that distracts from real environmental issues. The idea that species introduced by colonizers irreparably damaged ecosystems is exaggerated; nature constantly adapts and evolves. Focusing on this so-called problem wastes resources and energy that could be better spent addressing pressing concerns like pollution and climate change. Let’s stop inflating historical grievances and concentrate on solutions that actually matter for our planet’s future.