RENEWABLE ENERGY INVESTMENTS, ENERGY JUSTICE AND POST-TRUTH IN INDIGENOUS TERRITORIES OF LATIN AMERICA
This symposium proposes to analyze, from political economy and heterodox approaches to development, the dynamics of investment in renewable energy in indigenous territories of Latin America, with special attention to the case of La Guajira in Colombia and the Wayúu people. It seeks to understand how the energy transition—driven by global sustainability goals—interacts with local contexts characterized by historical inequalities, cultural diversity, and tensions over land use.
The central purpose of the symposium is to debate how business models, economic incentives, and regulatory frameworks associated with renewable energy generate both conflicts and opportunities for cooperation with indigenous communities. In this sense, the aim is to identify what institutional arrangements, participation mechanisms, and forms of governance make it possible to move toward more responsible, inclusive, and sustainable investment processes.
The symposium is structured around four thematic axes. First, it will analyze the political economy of the energy transition, with an emphasis on issues of energy justice, the redistribution of benefits, and compensation mechanisms in indigenous territories. Second, it will address the phenomenon of post-truth within the context of investments, examining how narratives, emotions, and beliefs influence economic decisions and the social perception of energy projects. This approach makes it possible to problematize both the use of corporate discourses associated with greenwashing and the legitimation of indigenous knowledge about the territory.
Third, it will explore the role of energy communities and co-ownership mechanisms as strategies for strengthening social acceptance and community participation in renewable energy projects. Finally, it will discuss experiences of corporate governance and corporate social responsibility in Latin America, with an emphasis on stakeholder management and the construction of more equitable relationships among businesses, the State, and communities.
The discussion is grounded in relevant empirical experiences, particularly in La Guajira, a key region for Colombia’s energy transition, where high wind and solar potential converges with profound socioeconomic inequalities and territorial conflicts. In this context, energy companies have developed social management and sustainability strategies, while indigenous leaders and social organizations have questioned power asymmetries and the ways in which certain “truths” about development and progress are constructed and disseminated.
The symposium calls for researchers in economics, development studies, and related disciplines, as well as representatives of indigenous communities, public entities, energy companies, and social organizations. By bringing together academic perspectives, territorial experiences, and business practices, this space seeks to contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the energy transition in Latin America, promoting critical dialogue on energy justice, governance, and the role of narratives in shaping sustainable futures.
