The Serbian ‘lithium deal’: A talk about the disastrous consequences of neo-colonialism powered by german government and car manufacturers.

If you like this episode, put some stars on it or send it to someone who should listen to it. I make this all pro bono, but feel free to support me per Ko-Fi oder PayPal. My weekly german newsletter can be booked here steady. I work as a keynote speaker, panelist and author. Feel free to contact me! Liljana Tomoviç is a professor from the University of Belgrade with decades of experience. As her research takes place primarily in the midst of nature, she has a very deep insight into the changes that climate change is already having on the country. Aleksandar Matković is a member of the "Green-Left Front", the main left-wing opposition party in the Serbian parliament, where he helps shape the party's new economic policy. As a researcher he turned into a political with questioning the dependency of his country regarding Chinese corporates and got death threats after questioning lithium mining in Serbia. Read his Open letter regarding Rio Tinto and the “mining colony that Serbia is turning into”. In this episode of my podcast, we talk about the very specific effects that the planned mining deal, which in Germany is primarily based on the lithium requirements of car manufacturers, will have on people in Serbia, from environmental destruction to displacement. We talk about state violence, which hundreds of thousands of people in the country refuse to be intimidated by because they are afraid of a future in which their country can no longer be worth living in because it has been exploited in a neo-colonialist manner. In July of this year, Belgrade gave the green light for lithium extraction, having temporarily halted it two years previously following pressure from environmentalists. Germany needs lithium, especially in the automotive industry. Germany consumes more metal than many of its neighbouring countries, a third of which is used by the automotive industry. This means that Germany's consumption of raw materials is far above a globally fair level. In the interview, we explain that instead of aggressively securing access to critical metals, it would be important to reduce the overall demand for raw materials, emphasises Reckordt. Above all, this would mean building smaller and fewer cars, initiating a turnaround in transport that reduces dependence on cars, recycling raw materials and drastically reducing energy consumption in industry. As a consequence, this would mean carrying out a real green transformation and actually reorganising the economy in a climate-neutral and ecological way instead of creating rebound effects and shifting environmental and human rights problems abroad. This does not go hand in hand with Germany's self-image as a growing export and leading automotive and industrial nation. For those of you who understand German, I also recommend the previous episode that I recorded with Hannah from Powershift. Here we shed light on the almost 100 per cent metal dependency of Germany (and the German automotive industry) on neo-colonial business relationships with countries in the Global South. Serbia Protests, Mining Project, and Environmental Concerns Aleksandar discussed the escalating protests in Serbia due to changing laws allowing mining operations. He shared his involvement in internationalizing the struggle, establishing an ecological organization, and signing a declaration of international solidarity. He also mentioned receiving death threats after criticizing the economic aspects of the mine. Katja added that a protest group member was sentenced to two years in jail, further intimidating protesters. Aleksandar discussed the potential lithium mining project in Serbia, highlighting its potential environmental and social impacts. Ljiljana emphasized the importance of the region's unique landscape for the survival of many populations in Serbia. Both agreed that the project poses a complex problem with various economic, social, and environmental risks. More details on my website: https://katja-diehl.de/.