EDITORIALS

Orientalism
Emanuele Bompan

For decades, the Global South has been warning us about the systemic failure of the preconceived view of the Western world to understand the complex social, economic and cultural transformations that much of the world is going through.

Africa Is Not a Country
Dipo Faloyin

Not everyone is allowed a complex identity. Few entities have been forced through this field of distorted reality as many times as Africa– a continent of fifty-four countries, more than two thousand languages, and 1.4 billion people. A region that is treated and spoken of as if it were a single country.

THINK TANK

A New Chapter for Africa

Interview with Lerato Mataboge
Rim Ben Khalifa

At the heart of the African Union’s Agenda 2063 is the continent’s transition towards renewable energy. But energy independence is only the first step towards a fairer, more resilient future – one in which climate finance and innovation will play a crucial role.

In India, Circularity is an Ancient Tale Reaching into the Future

Interview with Shalini Bhalla
Giorgia Marino

The circular economy in its broadest sense has always been part of Indian culture. Today, however, the country is on the path of exceptional development, and the challenge will be to pursue it without sacrificing environmental sustainability.

A Giant Leap for Kenya

Interview with Jane Mariara
Marco Moro

The Earth4All sustainable development model has been adapted into a version specific to Kenya, demonstrating that, with the right policies, the country could greatly advance in energy transition, welfare and rights for all.

INSIGHT

Global South in Transition

Many countries of the Global South are now at a crossroads. Population growth pushes the need for rapid economic development, but ecological transition and climate resilience cannot be left behind. Figures at hand, we took a look at what is happening in five countries.

Infographics

Margherita Gallon

Colombia: A Biodiversity Action Plan with a Leadership Problem

Emanuele Bompan

Kenya: A Miracle of Energy Transition, Jeopardised by Political and Social Tensions

Roberto Giovannini

Nigeria: When Too Much Fossil Wealth Suffocates a Country
Roberto Giovannini

Pakistan: A Green Plan to Finance Adaptation and the Power Grid
Emanuele Bompan

Indonesia: A Controversial Transition, Amid Palm Oil and Nickel Mines
Giorgia Marino

FOCUS CIRCULAR ECONOMY

Africa: An Immense Circular Potential to Explore
Giorgio Kaldor

From food security to e-waste management, the African continent’s circular economy has enormous potential for development. Provided, however, that consideration is paid to the equity of the transition.

Latin America: The Circular Economy Helps Restore Ecosystems

Antonella Ilaria Totaro

Today, the circular transition in Latin America and the Caribbeans is closely linked to the need for increased infrastructure investment and the establishment of a regulatory framework. Despite the obstacles, good practices continue to progress.

Brazil, Land of Contradictions, Is Getting Ready for COP30
Roberto Giovannini

The COP30 in Belém, in the heart of the Amazon, will be a landmark moment for Brazil. The country is eager to showcase its environmental strides under President Lula. Yet there are many contradictions — from ongoing deforestation to investment in oil and gas.

The Real Fight for Biodiversity Comes from Indigenous Communities
Lucrezia Lenardon

A thread connects the tropical forests of Putumayo and the coral reefs of Papua New Guinea: biodiversity conservation is effective when it starts from the grassroots, when Indigenous Peoples have a voice, rights and means to take care of their land. 

Disputed Land
Giorgio Kaldor

The interests of multinational companies, coupled with emerging phenomena such as green grabbing, are eroding communities’ rights to their own land. However, the international debate

around land rights is driving policy changes for social and environmental justice.

Swapping Debt for Nature Conservation
Lucrezia Lenardon

They are called debt-for-nature swaps and are an innovative financial instrument that allows developing countries to exchange their debt for biodiversity protection and climate mitigation projects. Here's how they work.

The Global South is One Step Ahead in Regenerative Agriculture
Antonella Ilaria Totaro

Embracing regenerative practices is a crucial opportunity to transform agricultural systems and meet the growing demand for high-quality products. With its indigenous knowledge and ethical

finance, the Global South holds the keys to driving the transition.

Reportage: Megalopolis
Emanuele Bompan, foto di Martin Roemers

Immense, sprawling, and full of contradictions. The megacities of the Global South harbour tens of millions of inhabitants, often with very low average ages, amid futuristic skyscrapers and informal neighbourhoods. Their rapid transformation is a gamble for the future.

CASE STUDIES

A Circular Vision for Coffee Is an Opportunity for the Global South

Antonella Ilaria Totaro

Coffee production, economic pillar for many countries in the Global South, currently faces challenges related to environmental sustainability and profitability. The Center for

Circular Economy in Coffee (C4CEC) aims to drive change and build a more resilient and circular supply chain.

Building an African Early Warning System “from the ground up”
Giorgio Kaldor

CIMA Foundation recounts the creation of the Africa Multi-Hazard Early Warning System. The project, accomplished alongside the African Union, takes inspiration from Italy’s experience and aims to build a warning network to manage climate hazards throughout the continent.

Ecoalf and Materra, Working Together For Regenerative Cotton in India
Roberto Giovannini

For several years, the Spanish fashion company Ecoalf has invested on sustainability. Since 2022, along with the startup Materra, it has launched a regenerative agriculture project to grow cotton in Gujarat State, India.

Ecomondo China: A Litmus Test for Relations between Rome and Beijing

Emanuele Bompan

The city of Chengdu, in Sichuan, hosted the 19th edition of Ecomondo China. The sustainability and circular economy fair brought Italian excellence to China to build partnerships and promote exchanges between the two countries.

STARTUP
by Antonella Ilaria Totaro
Mycelium-based Eco-friendly Leather from Argentina with Mycorium Biotech

Mattresses-as-a-Service with Thailand’s nornnorn

In Nigeria, QuadLoop Technologies Transforms E-waste into Clean Energy

Biodegradable Banana Fibre Sanitary Products with Saathi Pads

OUROBOROS
A Just Circular Economy Approach is Necessary to Prevent Energy Transition Extractivism
Ana Birliga Sutherland

We are hurtling towards a new extractivism cloaked in a thin green veil. CRM-rich countries – largely concentrated in the Global South – face increasing risk as industry ramps up mining of materials like lithium and cobalt.

CIRCULAR FUTURES: DISPATCHES FROM TOMORROW

2038: The Reconfiguration of Global Textile Trade

Patrick Schröder

For decades, the textile industry had followed a simple model: Global South produced, Global North consumed. Trump’s tariffs shattered that model. The Global South was no longer just a cog in

someone else’s supply chain: it redefined the rules and designed the future

ESG VALUE
Cultural Integration is an Asset for Companies in Trentino
Renata Diazzi

The combination of “Global South” and “ecological transition” might seem distant from the realities of Trentino. But is that truly the case? The integration of different cultures

represents a strategic opportunity for businesses in Trentino.

READING MATTER
(Re)reading the Global South
Giorgia Marino
The African economy beyond stereotypes, India at a crossroads, and the ASEAN miracle in Southeast Asia. Three books to take a fresh look at the Global South.