Advancing theories on the scalar complexities of Green Sacrifice Zones

Abstract

This article examines the concept of ‘green sacrifice’, a term coined to describe the processes through which specific territories are disproportionately affected by the extractive and deployment practices associated with green energy production, analyzed through a scalar lens. It engages in a theoretical discussion on how to conceptualize both territorial and non-territorial scales—where the latter are understood as political, non-hierarchical configurations that transcend fixed spatial boundaries—in order to navigate the tensions between localized socio-ecological sacrifices and global sustainability ambitions. Drawing on diverse theories of scale and integrating insights from political ecology, spatial theory, and energy justice, the article argues for the urgent need to re-scale socio-ecological dynamics within renewable energy transitions. It further challenges the logic of sacrifice by proposing a conceptual shift: rather than placing local territories as expendable in pursuit of global goals, it reimagines them as essential components of Earth's shared ecosystem—where global governance may need to exercise restraint to protect specific ecological and cultural systems. In response, the article offers a more nuanced and flexible understanding of scale—one capable of capturing the spatial, systemic, and political complexities of energy production transformation. By doing so, it aims to advance our understanding of how green transitions are reshaping not only territorial governance, but also the broader and uneven geographies of sacrifice.