The dark side of European solar panels in North-Africa

Europe wants to become independent from fossil fuels and is feverishly searching for new sources of green energy. This quest is leading not only to wind farms and solar panels within the EU, but also to major investments beyond European borders, such as in North Africa.

Yet behind the promise of green progress lies a shadow side. How sustainable is an energy policy that depends on countries where human rights are under pressure and that can hardly meet their own energy needs? And how does the local population actually view the EU’s role? Could this be a new form of neocolonialism?

Ghada Nasri is assistent professor at the Higher Institute of Technological Studies (ISET) of Tozeur, Tunisia and specializes in Hydrogeology and Environment. She is also a member of the Ifriqiya Association, where she teaches training programs for young people, focusing on awareness-raising about climate change and water management, especially in the context of current environmental challenges.

Fatima zahra Tichoua is a Moroccan environmental advocate and member of the Political Bureau of the Green Party of Morocco. She also serves as a member of the Climate and Biodiversity Committee within the Moroccan Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development. Currently, she is working as a Project Coordinator at the Climate Action Network Arab World (CANAW), in collaboration with Climate Action Network International (CAN-I). Her work focuses on advancing climate justice, biodiversity protection, and sustainable development across the MENA region.