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Winds of injustice: Exploring new extractive frontiers in La Guajira, Colombia

Lindemann, Kim Lehnke LU (2023) SIMZ31 20221
Graduate School
Abstract
In Colombia, the renewable energy transition has brought a focus on the La Guajira department, which is largely inhabited by the Indigenous Wayúu communities, which face a long history of exploitation, marginalisation and neglect. The Colombian path towards a just renewable energy transition is obscured by the controversies surrounding the large-scale expansion of wind parks and associated infrastructure on Indigenous autonomous territory. Grounded in qualitative research, this thesis examines the procedural, distributive and recognition justice concerns arising at the emergent extractive frontier in La Guajira: The data demonstrates that the emergent energy system is procedurally unjust due to a lack of constitutionality, inadequate... (More)
In Colombia, the renewable energy transition has brought a focus on the La Guajira department, which is largely inhabited by the Indigenous Wayúu communities, which face a long history of exploitation, marginalisation and neglect. The Colombian path towards a just renewable energy transition is obscured by the controversies surrounding the large-scale expansion of wind parks and associated infrastructure on Indigenous autonomous territory. Grounded in qualitative research, this thesis examines the procedural, distributive and recognition justice concerns arising at the emergent extractive frontier in La Guajira: The data demonstrates that the emergent energy system is procedurally unjust due to a lack of constitutionality, inadequate community representation and transparency, in addition to vast power disparities. The imbalanced distribution of opportunities, benefits and burdens across stakeholders leads to further injustices, while perpetuating underlying inequalities. Overall, the Wayúu are not recognised as legitimate actors, while their territorial rights and sovereignty are frequently infringed upon. The large-scale appropriation of local renewable energy resources, without the real involvement of the communities and their interests, has implications for their livelihoods, territorial rights, communal well-being and security. As will be illustrated, an absent State, underlying power imbalances and structural poverty give rise to a form of extractivism under the guise of a ‘green’ or sustainability agenda. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Lindemann, Kim Lehnke LU
supervisor
organization
course
SIMZ31 20221
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Energy Justice, Colombian Low-carbon transition, Indigenous Rights, ‘Green’ Extractivism, Wayúu Indigenous peoples
language
English
id
9108457
date added to LUP
2023-06-21 14:14:07
date last changed
2023-06-21 14:14:07
@misc{9108457,
  abstract     = {{In Colombia, the renewable energy transition has brought a focus on the La Guajira department, which is largely inhabited by the Indigenous Wayúu communities, which face a long history of exploitation, marginalisation and neglect. The Colombian path towards a just renewable energy transition is obscured by the controversies surrounding the large-scale expansion of wind parks and associated infrastructure on Indigenous autonomous territory. Grounded in qualitative research, this thesis examines the procedural, distributive and recognition justice concerns arising at the emergent extractive frontier in La Guajira: The data demonstrates that the emergent energy system is procedurally unjust due to a lack of constitutionality, inadequate community representation and transparency, in addition to vast power disparities. The imbalanced distribution of opportunities, benefits and burdens across stakeholders leads to further injustices, while perpetuating underlying inequalities. Overall, the Wayúu are not recognised as legitimate actors, while their territorial rights and sovereignty are frequently infringed upon. The large-scale appropriation of local renewable energy resources, without the real involvement of the communities and their interests, has implications for their livelihoods, territorial rights, communal well-being and security. As will be illustrated, an absent State, underlying power imbalances and structural poverty give rise to a form of extractivism under the guise of a ‘green’ or sustainability agenda.}},
  author       = {{Lindemann, Kim Lehnke}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Winds of injustice: Exploring new extractive frontiers in La Guajira, Colombia}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}