Insurrection for land, sea and dignity: resistance and autonomy against wind energy in Álvaro Obregón, Mexico

Abstract

Providing a glimpse into the reality of wind energy development, the story of Álvaro Obregón is one of resistance. Álvaro Obregón is a primarily Zapotec semi-subsistence community located near the entrance of the Santa Teresa sand bar (Barra), where in 2011 Mareña Renovables initiated the process of building 102 wind turbines. Demonstrating the complicated micro-politics of land acquisition, conflict and unrest, this article argues that climate change mitigation initiatives are sparking land grabs and conflict with the renewed valuation of wind resources. Insurrection against the Mareña Renovables wind project has spawned a long-term conflict, which has created social divisions and a type of low-intensity civil war within the town. This article will chronicle the uprising against the wind company, battles with police, and the town hall takeover, which includes analyzing the conflict taking place between the cabildo comunitario and the constitucionalistas. Subsequent sections examine the different perspectives within the village and how this battle between the Communitarians and the wind company continues today. The article reveals the complications associated with land deals, the conflict generating potential of climate change mitigation practices and, finally, concludes by reflecting on the difficulties of formulating alternatives to development within a conflict situation. Keywords: Oaxaca; Álvaro Obregón, sustainable development, wind energy, green grabbing, resistance, climate change Résumé L"histoire d"Álvaro Obregón, dans le panorama des différents projets de développement de l"énergie éolienne, est une histoire de résistance. Álvaro Obregón est une communauté semi-autonome zapotèque près de l"entrée du bar de sable de Santa Teresa à Oaxaca, au Mexique. Là, en 2011, Mareña Renovables a commencé le processus de construction de 102 éoliennes. Élaborant les micropolitiques compliquées de l"acquisition des terres, des conflits et de l"agitation, l"article soutient que les initiatives visant à atténuer les effets du changement climatique conduisent souvent à l"expropriation des terres et aux conflits sociaux. La résistance au projet Mareña Renovables a conduit à un conflit prolongé, créant des divisions sociales et une sorte de guerre civile de faible intensité. L"article reconstruit chronologiquement la résistance contre l"entreprise, les batailles avec la police et l"occupation de la municipalité, et comprend une analyse du conflit entre deux partis locaux, le conseil de la communauté et les constitutionnalistes. Les sections suivantes examinent ces différentes perspectives au sein de la communauté et reconstruisent la façon dont la bataille entre la communauté et l"entreprise s"est poursuivie. L"article révèle ainsi toutes les complications qui se présentent dans des cas comme les conflits fonciers, la possibilité de générer des conflits forts à cause des pratiques visant à atténuer les changements climatiques et la réflexion sur les difficultés de formulation d"alternatives de développement. dans de...

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