Skip to main content

LUP Student Papers

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

To dig or not to dig? An integrated post-structuralist analysis of the EU Critical Raw Materials Act and its justice implications for local communities

Götz, Valeska LU (2023) In Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science MESM02 20231
LUCSUS (Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies)
Abstract
In its proposed 2023 Critical Raw Materials Act, the European Commission considers access to critical raw materials within its territory as key to both the green transition and to reduce import dependencies. This onshoring of extractivist practices warrants a critical analysis that reflects on the justice implications this may have for local communities. Therefore, I apply an integrated post-structuralist analysis to identify the dominant policy narratives the EU portrays in its proposal and examine the environmental justice counter-discourses that are raised in its public consultation process. On this basis, I find that in the current proposal, narratives of ‘mining-for-sustainability, ‘mining-for-security and... (More)
In its proposed 2023 Critical Raw Materials Act, the European Commission considers access to critical raw materials within its territory as key to both the green transition and to reduce import dependencies. This onshoring of extractivist practices warrants a critical analysis that reflects on the justice implications this may have for local communities. Therefore, I apply an integrated post-structuralist analysis to identify the dominant policy narratives the EU portrays in its proposal and examine the environmental justice counter-discourses that are raised in its public consultation process. On this basis, I find that in the current proposal, narratives of ‘mining-for-sustainability, ‘mining-for-security and ‘public-acceptance-for-mining’ are fostered. In turn, with respect to local communities’ rights, environmental justice counter-discourses raised that for the proposal to be fair, it should place greater emphasis on distributive mechanisms, recognize the needs of local communities and incorporate procedural mechanisms that allow for meaningful community participation in decision-making processes. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Götz, Valeska LU
supervisor
organization
course
MESM02 20231
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
critical materials, environmental justice, policy narrative, extractivism, sustainability science
publication/series
Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science
report number
2023:034
language
English
id
9120357
date added to LUP
2023-06-12 08:15:20
date last changed
2023-06-12 08:15:20
@misc{9120357,
  abstract     = {{In its proposed 2023 Critical Raw Materials Act, the European Commission considers access to critical raw materials within its territory as key to both the green transition and to reduce import dependencies. This onshoring of extractivist practices warrants a critical analysis that reflects on the justice implications this may have for local communities. Therefore, I apply an integrated post-structuralist analysis to identify the dominant policy narratives the EU portrays in its proposal and examine the environmental justice counter-discourses that are raised in its public consultation process. On this basis, I find that in the current proposal, narratives of ‘mining-for-sustainability, ‘mining-for-security and ‘public-acceptance-for-mining’ are fostered. In turn, with respect to local communities’ rights, environmental justice counter-discourses raised that for the proposal to be fair, it should place greater emphasis on distributive mechanisms, recognize the needs of local communities and incorporate procedural mechanisms that allow for meaningful community participation in decision-making processes.}},
  author       = {{Götz, Valeska}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  series       = {{Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science}},
  title        = {{To dig or not to dig? An integrated post-structuralist analysis of the EU Critical Raw Materials Act and its justice implications for local communities}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}