Intergenerational dynamics and local development: Mining and the indigenous community in Chiu Chiu, El Loa Province, northern Chile

Camacho, Francisco Molina

doi:10.1016/j.geoforum.2016.06.015

Cited by 11 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…After all, socioenvironmental changes undermine some groups and benefit others (Swyngedouw et al, 2002). “When dealing with water, political ecology offers an interesting approach to understanding the relevance that it has in redeﬁning local cultural politics” (Molina Camacho; 2016, p. 116). Landherr et al (2019) note that ecological groups and indigenous communities rally against politicized social inequalities and ecological destruction.…”

Section: Existing Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

Water as property: Contention between indigenous communities and the lithium industry for water rights in Chile

Seefeldt

2022

Latin American Policy

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With the growing demand for lithium to be used in many electronic devices and vehicles, companies in Chile's Atacama Desert race to extract this “white gold.” Lithium mining is a water‐intensive process, seemingly impossible to sustain in the world's driest desert. Local indigenous communities rely on what little water access exists, but water becomes the property of whoever owns the land. Thus, we see growing contention between local communities and mining companies for the use of water. This study examines the intersection between communities, the environment, and lithium‐mining companies, using a political‐ecology model to understand the nuances involved in extracting this in‐demand resource. Based on interviews, news archives, and other methods, the findings indicate a need for increased trust between populations and companies. Additionally, regulatory and legal clarity and consolidation would help manage the conflicts. Activism and company and government responses can facilitate better negotiations between stakeholders and allow for access to lithium while better protecting the environment and the people that survive in the desert.

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Section: Existing Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

Water as property: Contention between indigenous communities and the lithium industry for water rights in Chile

Seefeldt

2022

Latin American Policy

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“…This is reflected, for example, in the Anishinaabek understanding that water justice explicitly depends on justice and healing for waters themselves and the trauma and distress they endure (McGregor, 2015). Indigenous water and water justice conceptualizations are determined by individual polities or Nations (Hemming et al, 2007;McGregor, 2012) and are therefore heterogeneous and diverse (Macpherson, 2019;Molina Camacho, 2016;Nikolakis & Grafton, 2015). Notwithstanding these differences, water is central to defining complex Indigenous attachments to and relationships with place (Te Aho, 2010;Jackson & Barber, 2013;Sam & Armstrong, 2013) and so for Indigenous peoples, the contamination, diversion or depletion of water bodies represents an attack on collective identities and survival as peoples (Jackson, 2018a).…”

Section: Indigenous Water Justice and Injusticementioning

confidence: 99%

Water colonialism and Indigenous water justice in south-eastern Australia

Hartwig

Jackson

Markham

et al. 2021

International Journal of Water Resources Development

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Political theorists argue that justice for cultural groups must account for socioeconomic distribution, political representation and cultural recognition. Combining this tripartite justice framework with settler colonial theory, we analyse novel data sets relating to Aboriginal peoples' water experiences in south-eastern Australia. We construe persistent injustices as 'water colonialism', showing that the development of Australia's water resources has so far delivered little economic benefit to Aboriginal peoples, who remain marginalized from decision-making. We argue that justice theories need to encompass a fourth dimension -the vitally important socio-ecological realm -if they are to serve as conceptual resources for advancing Indigenous peoples' rights and needs.

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“…The resulting disparities exemplify distributive, procedural, and recognition environmental injustices for the Indigenous communities of the Atacama Desert [84]. This explains why the relationship between mining companies and local communities has worsened [85].…”

Section: Ecosystem Injustice and Indigenous People: The Case Of The Atacama Desertmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social-Environmental Conflicts in Chile: Is There Any Potential for an Ecological Constitution?

et al. 2021

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Social unrest is on the rise worldwide amid deepening inequalities, environmental degradation, and job crises worsened by increasing social-environmental conflicts. In Chile, a social revolt in 2019 resulted in a national referendum in 2020. An ample majority (78.3% vs. 21.7%) voted to draft a new constitution to replace the current constitution drawn up under dictatorship. The result led to the emergence and empowerment of several organizations demanding an “ecological constitution”. In this context, we aim to analyze: (1) the main social-environmental conflicts in Chile and how they are related to the country’s current constitution, and (2) the potential drafting of an ecological constitution that addresses these conflicts. Across different industries in Chile, we observed common problems that are intrinsically related to the current constitution. This relationship seems to be perceived by Chilean citizens since a survey carried out in May 2021 found 79% support for an ecological constitution. Moreover, 105 of the 155 delegates to the constitutional convention proposed three or more environmental principles to be included in the new constitution. A potential ecological constitution entails principles that would improve the current situation of social-environmental conflicts in Chile. Based on our analysis, we recommend the establishment of watershed-based “territorial rights” in the new Chilean constitution to improve sustainability and environmental justice.

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Intergenerational dynamics and local development: Mining and the indigenous community in Chiu Chiu, El Loa Province, northern Chile

Cited by 11 publications

References 25 publications

Water as property: Contention between indigenous communities and the lithium industry for water rights in Chile

Water as property: Contention between indigenous communities and the lithium industry for water rights in Chile

Water colonialism and Indigenous water justice in south-eastern Australia

Social-Environmental Conflicts in Chile: Is There Any Potential for an Ecological Constitution?

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