Research Seminar on “Contextualizing the Green Transition in Indigenous Territories”

Speaker: Jacobo Ramirez, Associate Professor at Copenhagen Business School

The seminar takes place in Porcelænshaven 16A, room 2.80.

Abstract:

This qualitative study examines the impact of green energy investment on the Indigenous Wayúu people of La Guajira, Colombia, through the theoretical frameworks of coloniality of power and decolonial feminism. Using interviews and focus groups, we explore the struggles and resilience of Wayúu women in defending their territories against large-scale green energy investments, which often cause community conflicts and fail to respect Indigenous peoples’ ontology. We found that green colonialism is often disguised as a need to invest in green energy for the greater good, but our study shows that Wayúu women are actively engaged in protecting their ancestral lands and defending their Indigenous ontology against the encroachment of large-scale green energy investments through feminist decoloniality practices. Our research highlights the importance of long-term investment and energy transition rhetoric that respects Indigenous peoples’ ancestral territories and protects the rights of Indigenous women. By emphasizing the need for coherent public policies towards decarbonisation that are inclusive of Indigenous peoples, our study contributes to ongoing efforts to promote sustainable and equitable energy transitions.