Creative strategies to tackle the intersection between digital technologies and the climate emergency – Lightning Talk at IGF 2021
Gato.Earth is an independent activist project that since 2019 seeks to document and reflect on how digital technologies have contributed to the current climate emergency with a feminist anti-colonial approach. In the context of an unprecedented ecological crisis due to the extractivist model of capitalism, Gato.Earth is a unique space for researchers and activists to find critical approaches, produce artistic projects and find inspiration to work on how digital technologies (in material and epistemological aspects) are contributing to the climate and environmental crisis in our local communities.
We adopt multi-lateral strategies to achieve our mission: our core product is Gato.Earth, a monthly newsletter (in English and Spanish) which has become a crucial repository of information regarding the deployment of technologies in this environmental crisis and an innovative methodology, based in writing creative non-fiction letters to get the attention of audiences feeling the same distress around this planetary challenge.
We are digital justice specialists, with years of experience in organization in Latin America, the US, and Europe, and we consider that the recent technological developments have significantly contributed to the awful environmental crisis we’re facing right now. In our project we explore this intersection but at the same time we want to promote an approach that favours non-conforming perspectives on tech that will contribute to climate justice.
In this talk we want to share our advocacy strategies, and also discuss the results of our research activities in relation to topics such as surveillance against land defenders, and the environmental impact of data centers.
This session links to the issue area: Environmental sustainability and climate change.