"Reparations, not investments” — Shereen Talaat on climate debt, reparations and public finance

In the second episode of Burned: The Price of Oil, host Shady Khalil speaks with Shereen Talaat, Founder and Director of MENA Fem Movement. They explore the global financial system’s deep colonial roots - and how private-finance-first approaches to the energy transition trap Global South countries in more debt and fossil fuel dependence. Shereen shares how private finance seeks profit, not justice, and that only public finance, reparations, and debt cancellation can deliver a truly just transition. Speaking from the perspective of the global majority, communities across the Global South who did the least to cause the climate crisis - not the billionaire 1% minority - she calls for climate and colonial reparations to repair centuries of extractivism and exploitation.Together, Shereen and Shady unpack how the structures of debt and global financial architecture are the new face of colonialism, and how the rich countries are withholding the trillions in public finance they can actually mobilise to pay for a fair and funded fossil fuel phaseout. But this isn't the end of the story. Across the Global South and beyond, communities are organizing and resisting and won’t let the polluters or profiteers get away with it.Host: Shady Khalil, Oil Change InternationalGuest: Shereen Talaat, Founder and Director, MENA Fem MovementAbout Shereen Talaat:A lifelong activist from Egypt, Shereen Talaat is a passionate advocate with over 20 years of experience working at the intersection of social justice, economic development, and environmental rights.About Oil Change International:Oil Change International is a research, communications, and advocacy organization working to expose the true costs of fossil fuels and facilitate the ongoing transition to clean energy.Links:Oil Change InternationalFollow @Priceofoil and @MenaFem on XFollow @PriceOfOil InstagramLearn more about MENA Fem Movement (00:00) - Introduction to the Movement and Guests (00:55) - Shereen's Activism Journey and Artistic Influence (05:02) - The Birth of MENA FEM Movement (08:07) - The Intersection of Feminism and Climate Justice (09:03) - Understanding Climate Debt and Reparations (13:11) - Reflections on COP Outcomes and Global Finance (17:52) - The Role of Private Finance in Climate Solutions (22:08) - The Flaws of Global Financial Architecture (28:10) - Debt as a Tool of Control (31:03) - Hope and Resistance in Activism

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