Le strategie di riduzione dell'impronta ecologica e il ruolo del settore privato. Prospettive euro-africane. Energia, scienza e potere tra Europa e Africa: elementi di continuità e cambiamento (1960-1980)

This thesis provides a historical analysis of the complexity of energy, technological and scientific relations between the European Economic Community (EEC) and the Organization of African Unity (OAU) from the 1960s to the 1980s. It focuses on the institutional frameworks and diplomatic dynamics that shaped their interactions in the post-colonial context. Particular attention is given to how global energy crises -especially the 1973 oil shock- impacted these relationships, prompting cooperative strategies to enhance energy security and foster scientific and technological development in both, Africa and Europe. Adopting a critical perspective on colonial legacies, this study aims to explore the dual role of energy, science, and technology as both resources and political tools. It highlights their importance in shaping power dynamics, addressing energy security, and tackling development challenges between Europe and Africa. Through extensive archival research conducted at the Historical Archives of the European Union in Fiesole (Florence) and those of the African Union in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), the thesis evaluates how energy, science, and technology have played a crucial role, at the institutional level, in shaping relations between Africa and Europe. The findings demonstrate how African nations sought to diversify their alliances beyond European dependence, aiming to assert sovereignty over natural resources. Meanwhile, the EEC pursued strategies to reinforce its influence in Africa.