Energy Transition and Indigenous Communities in Chile: Integrating Meaningful Stakeholder Engagement and Energy Justice

Latin America has abundant renewable energy and critical mineral resources, many of which are found in Indigenous territories of high environmental and cultural value. The expansion of renewable energy and mineral extraction projects in these areas raises concerns about the impact on people, land, and resources. This chapter explores how existing legal instruments allow for meaningful, fair, and active participation of Indigenous communities in green energy transition projects. The chapter proposes to integrate elements of guidance on meaningful stakeholder engagement with energy justice dimensions to identify gaps and areas to promote inclusion and recognition of affected, vulnerable, and often-overlooked stakeholders. With this approach, the chapter examines Indigenous community participation in Chile’s wind energy and lithium mining industry. The analysis shows that the participation of Indigenous communities enabled by legal instruments has not been meaningful or fair. The socio-environmental impacts produced by the examined types of projects have generated resistance and opposition to new initiatives among Indigenous communities. The chapter highlights that the inclusion of vulnerable communities, particularly Indigenous communities, is essential to a fair green transition. Inclusion and engagement will only be meaningful if accompanied by a commitment to justice and the recognition of affected communities as key stakeholders with rights that must be respected and upheld. It also means ensuring that their land use, values, and knowledge are not infringed upon, and that their social fabric and environment are not further fragmented.