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Paper short abstract:

Supply chains often continue colonial models of extraction. The introduction of blockchain technology to manage supply chains poses risks of increasing inequality in Africa, under the guise of sustainable development, with monetization and technology remaining in the hands of foreign companies.

Paper long abstract:

As the climate crisis deepens, the reliance of Global North countries on global supply chains exposes vulnerabilities within our trade system, and deepens rifts between the Global North and Global South. This paper explores climate colonialism and the intersection of racial capitalism and sustainable development in the current climate crisis through the lens of trade facilitation and supply chains in Africa.

Supply chains, particularly those involving raw materials, often continue colonial models of extraction. The introduction of blockchain technology to manage supply chains poses risks of increasing inequality in Africa, with monetization and technology remaining in the hands of foreign companies. Western and Chinese corporations use the language of economic development and emphasize the benefits that technological development can pose for laborers and farmers in Africa, while technological advancements largely benefit manufacturers/distributors at the end of the supply chain without providing material benefits for African producers.

As Cedric Robinson theorized, racial capitalism has defined the development of capitalism, which we see reflected in environmental racism on a global scale. Reframing the struggle as between those who wield economic power and those who do not, while accounting for the intentional creation of inequality along racial and ethnic lines, allows for a more inclusive framing that simultaneously centers local communities while internationalizing the problems and creating a basis for more effective global action. A radical shift in power is necessary, into the hands of those at the beginnings of supply chains, reframing priorities away from the commodification of land and resources.