Install geopandas on ubuntu using apt-get when running into fetch/IPv6 issues:
sudo apt-get update --option Acquire::ForceIPv4=true --option Acquire::Retries=100 --option Acquire::http::Timeout=60
sudo apt-get updgrade
sudo apt get install python3-geopandas --option Acquire::ForceIPv4=true --option Acquire::Retries=100 --option Acquire::http::Timeout=60
solution thanks to @supersan on StackExchange