Defending the territory by the rules: The role of environmental law in Yucatan’s renewable energy conflicts

IF 3.1 2区社会学 Q1 GEOGRAPHY

Geoforum Pub Date : 2025-02-28 DOI:10.1016/j.geoforum.2025.104243

Antonio Bontempi , Ivet Reyes Maturano , Jazmín Sanchéz Arceo , Rodrigo T. Patiño Díaz

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Abstract

To what extent do environmental laws and policies aid in the pursuit of territorial defense and environmental justice? This article contributes to ongoing discussions on the environmental justice implications of existing institutions mobilized in the context of extractivism. It focuses on the legislative and policy frameworks and instruments influencing the development of industrial-scale renewable energy projects in the Mexican State of Yucatan. Through the analysis of nine environmental conflicts related to wind and solar parks in the region, we problematize the role of environmental laws and policies in governing Yucatan’s renewable energy deployment as ‘double-edged swords’, disproportionately disadvantaging those defending their own territories. Controversial projects are frequently legitimized by the law, yet the procedures that authorities and developers follow are tendentially flawed. At the same time, local and Indigenous communities, along with environmental defenders, face limited access to legal recourse. We frame this analysis within critical environmental justice debates and explore how a fairer allocation of institutional power to local authorities, peoples and Indigenous communities could address environmental injustice in Yucatan.

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以规则捍卫领土：环境法在尤卡坦半岛可再生能源冲突中的作用

环境法律和政策在多大程度上有助于捍卫领土和环境正义？本文有助于正在进行的关于在采掘主义背景下动员的现有机构的环境正义影响的讨论。它侧重于影响墨西哥尤卡坦州工业规模可再生能源项目发展的立法和政策框架及文书。通过对该地区与风能和太阳能公园相关的9个环境冲突的分析，我们认为环境法律和政策在管理尤卡坦可再生能源部署方面的作用是“双刃剑”，不成比例地不利于那些保护自己领土的人。有争议的项目往往被法律合法化，但当局和开发商遵循的程序往往存在缺陷。与此同时，当地和土著社区以及环境捍卫者获得法律追索权的机会有限。我们将这一分析框架在关键的环境正义辩论中，并探讨如何将制度权力更公平地分配给地方当局、人民和土著社区，以解决尤卡坦半岛的环境不公正问题。

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来源期刊

Geoforum GEOGRAPHY-

CiteScore

7.30

自引率

5.70%

发文量

201

期刊介绍： Geoforum is an international, inter-disciplinary journal, global in outlook, and integrative in approach. The broad focus of Geoforum is the organisation of economic, political, social and environmental systems through space and over time. Areas of study range from the analysis of the global political economy and environment, through national systems of regulation and governance, to urban and regional development, local economic and urban planning and resources management. The journal also includes a Critical Review section which features critical assessments of research in all the above areas.