Rich countries ‘trap’ poor nations into relying on fossil fuels

Campaigners criticise ‘new form of colonialism’, where countries in the global south are forced to invest in fossil fuel projects to repay debts

Richer countries and private lenders are trapping heavily indebted countries into reliance on fossil fuels, according to a new report.

The pressure to repay debts is forcing poor nations to continue investing in fossil fuel projects to make their repayments on what are usually loans from richer nations and financial institutions, according to new analysis from the anti-debt campaigners Debt Justice and partners in affected countries.