Risk management in sustainable indigenous energies in the Mexican southeast: Towards new resilience routes for Mayan communities to climate change

Abstract

This study analyzes the formation and development of indigenous energy communities by implementing renewable energy systems in four Mayan communities in Yucatan, Mexico (Yaxunah, San José Tipceh, Ixil, and Sotuta). The research introduces the concept of “Mayan communities at risk” as a new framework for understanding socio-technical challenges in local energy transitions, transforming the traditional conception of risk from a barrier into a fundamental asset for energy community success. Through a risk management process, the study identified and categorized risks across four dimensions: academic-technical, environmental, social-cultural, and political-economic. The methodology combined qualitative techniques, including participatory and emotional workshops, local ethnographies, participatory observation, and in-depth interviews emphasizing the importance of tsikbal (dialogue) knowledge construction and energy system management. Results reveal how the erosion of traditional values and social cohesion, environmental challenges, and political-economic pressures create complex risk landscapes that require holistic management approaches in energy communities. The study documents successful risk management mechanisms in energy systems, including emotional support strategies, strengthening indigenous self-governance in system operation, and forming local energy promoter groups predominantly led by women. Community strengthening strategies, particularly in Ixil and Sotuta, successfully fostered social responsibility in energy management and challenged traditional dependency patterns. The research highlights how integrating traditional Mayan knowledge with technical innovation in energy systems creates more resilient and sustainable energy communities. These findings contribute to understanding how indigenous energy communities can positively impact climate change mitigation while preserving their cultural heritage and strengthening their social fabric through a comprehensive socio-technical risk management approach.