The Green Transition and Economic Development in the Global South The Case of the EU-Zambia Partnership on Sustainable Raw Materials Value Chains and Copper Extraction
Author
Henriksen, Kiona Milner
Term
4. semester
Education
Publication year
2026
Submitted on
2026-05-29
Abstract
The global demand for critical raw materials to power the green transition raises concerns about reinforcing unequal economic relations and environmental harm in resource-rich countries. This thesis examines the EU–Zambia Partnership on Sustainable Raw Materials Value Chains with a focus on copper extraction to assess whether its mechanisms support Zambia’s copper-based economic development or risk reproducing colonial patterns. It conducts a qualitative single-case policy analysis of EU and Zambian government documents, applying Global Production Networks (value creation, enhancement, capture, and strategic coupling) alongside concepts of green extractivism and green colonialism. The analysis links partnership measures to Zambia’s development goals, including integration into global markets and value chains, transport and logistics, environmental sustainability, institutional capacity, local participation and ownership, and value addition. The study finds potential contributions to development through actions on value addition, environmental management and resource efficiency, railway sector improvements, institutional strengthening, and local participation. However, the EU’s value-add provisions are broad and do not address local ownership, which may risk reproducing colonial patterns.
Den globale efterspørgsel efter kritiske råmaterialer til den grønne omstilling rejser spørgsmål om, hvorvidt omstillingen forstærker ulige økonomiske relationer og miljøskade i ressourcerige lande. Denne afhandling undersøger EU–Zambia-partnerskabet om bæredygtige råmateriale-værdikæder med fokus på kobberudvinding for at vurdere, om dets mekanismer støtter Zambias kobberbaserede økonomiske udvikling eller risikerer at reproducere koloniale mønstre. Studiet er et kvalitativt enkeltcasestudie og policyanalyse af EU- og zambiske regeringsdokumenter, anvender Global Production Networks (værdiskabelse, værdiudvidelse, værdifangst og strategisk kobling) samt begreberne grøn ekstraktivisme og grøn kolonialisme. Analysen relaterer partnerskabets tiltag til Zambias udviklingsmål, herunder integration i globale markeder og værdikæder, transport og logistik, miljømæssig bæredygtighed, institutionel kapacitet, lokal deltagelse og ejerskab, og værditilvækst. Afhandlingen finder potentielle bidrag til udvikling gennem tiltag om værditilvækst, miljøstyring og ressourceeffektivitet, forbedring af jernbanesektoren, institutionel kapacitetsopbygning og lokal deltagelse. Samtidig er EU’s værditilvækstmekanismer brede, og lokal ejerskab adresseres ikke, hvilket kan risikere at reproducere koloniale mønstre.
[This abstract has been generated with the help of AI directly from the project full text]