IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v12y2020i18p7432-d411393.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Sustainability, Sociocultural Challenges, and New Power of Capitalism for Renewable Energy Megaprojects in an Indigenous Mayan Community of Mexico

Author

Listed:
  • Amina El Mekaoui

    (Cátedra CONACYT, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales, Unidad de Ciencias Sociales, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Calle 61 número 525 entre 66 y 68, col. Centro, Mérida C.P. 97000, Yucatán, Mexico)

  • Rasikh Tariq

    (Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Av. Industrias No Contaminantes por Anillo Periférico Norte, Apdo. Postal 150, Cordemex, Mérida C.P. 97000, Yucatán, Mexico)

  • Othón Baños Ramírez

    (Research Professor, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales, Unidad de Ciencias Sociales, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Calle 61 número 525 entre 66 y 68, col. Centro, Mérida C.P. 97000, Yucatán, Mexico)

  • P.E. Méndez-Monroy

    (Research Professor, IIMAS-Mérida Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Parque Científico y Tecnológico de Yucatán, 5.5Km Carretera Sierra Papacal-Chuburna, Sierra Papacal C.P. 97302, Yucatán, Mexico)

Abstract

Sustainable development is an integrated blend of energetic, economic, social, environmental, and governmental actors, making it one of the most challenging and subjective aims of the United Nations. A sustainability project that does not consider any of these parameters can generate resistance among different actors of society. In this work, we have demonstrated that the traditional definition of sustainability encompassing economic development, environmental protection, and social justice does not adequately cover large-scale renewable energy projects. We have presented an illuminating case study of solar development in the Yucatan state of Mexico to show that the traditional three-legged stool of sustainable development fails to accommodate local power relations and their role in energy decision-making. This point is made through a substantive and illuminating ethnography of a solar project in the community of San José Tipceh, which involves the importance of energy democracy and understanding power relations in any assessment of sustainable development. These power relations are an important component of sustainable development, and all megaprojects, especially renewable energy projects, require special attention in the governance processes. Through an analysis of an example of implementation of a mega solar project, we argue that the methodology through which the power is exercised is an exercise of great importance because it leads us to a scientific discussion that structures an international reflection on sustainability. The case study consists of mixed methods, including several techniques to deepen the analysis of sociocultural aspects, and tries to present the limits and show the weakness of the sustainability perspective in such megaprojects. It is concluded that environmental justice as a basic element of the new era of renewable energies is limited and can generate social injustices. In the same way, this work shows how power is exercised in the implementation of energy projects and in the absence of equitable comprehensive governance that does not consider the local sociocultural contexts of the communities, resulting in the generation of new powers and permanent conflicts. At the end of this work, a framework to empower local sociocultural contexts for an equitable energy transition is recommended.

Suggested Citation

  • Amina El Mekaoui & Rasikh Tariq & Othón Baños Ramírez & P.E. Méndez-Monroy, 2020. "Sustainability, Sociocultural Challenges, and New Power of Capitalism for Renewable Energy Megaprojects in an Indigenous Mayan Community of Mexico," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-23, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:18:p:7432-:d:411393
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/18/7432/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/18/7432/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Carbajo, Ruth & Cabeza, Luisa F., 2019. "Sustainability and social justice dimension indicators for applied renewable energy research: A responsible approach proposal," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 252(C), pages 1-1.
    2. Karanasios, Konstantinos & Parker, Paul, 2018. "Tracking the transition to renewable electricity in remote indigenous communities in Canada," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 169-181.
    3. Tariq, Rasikh & Sheikh, Nadeem Ahmed & Xamán, J. & Bassam, A., 2018. "An innovative air saturator for humidification-dehumidification desalination application," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 228(C), pages 789-807.
    4. Sofia Arana Landin, 2020. "Social Economy as the Means to Help Achieve the Targets of Sustainable Development Goal 14," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-15, June.
    5. Zander, P. & Kachele, H., 1999. "Modelling multiple objectives of land use for sustainable development," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 59(3), pages 311-325, March.
    6. Cordoves-Sánchez, Minerva & Vallejos-Romero, Arturo, 2019. "Social construction of risk in non-conventional renewable energy: Risk perception as a function of ecosystem services in La Araucanía, Chile," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 159(C), pages 261-270.
    7. Maha Faisal Alsayegh & Rashidah Abdul Rahman & Saeid Homayoun, 2020. "Corporate Economic, Environmental, and Social Sustainability Performance Transformation through ESG Disclosure," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-20, May.
    8. Tariq, Rasikh & Xamán, J. & Bassam, A. & Ricalde, Luis J. & Soberanis, M.A. Escalante, 2020. "Multidimensional assessment of a photovoltaic air collector integrated phase changing material considering Mexican climatic conditions," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 209(C).
    9. Schwoerer, Tobias & Schmidt, Jennifer I. & Holen, Davin, 2020. "Predicting the Food-Energy Nexus of Wild Food Systems: Informing Energy Transitions for Isolated Indigenous Communities," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    10. Francesco Badia & Enrico Bracci & Mouhcine Tallaki, 2020. "Quality and Diffusion of Social and Sustainability Reporting in Italian Public Utility Companies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-17, June.
    11. Fobissie, Elsie N., 2019. "The role of environmental values and political ideology on public support for renewable energy policy in Ottawa, Canada," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Velasco-Herrejón, Paola & Bauwens, Thomas & Calisto Friant, Martin, 2022. "Challenging dominant sustainability worldviews on the energy transition: Lessons from Indigenous communities in Mexico and a plea for pluriversal technologies," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    2. Pradip Swarnakar & Mudit Kumar Singh, 2022. "Local Governance in Just Energy Transition: Towards a Community-Centric Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-21, May.
    3. Maite Berasaluce & Pablo Díaz-Siefer & Paulina Rodríguez-Díaz & Marcelo Mena-Carrasco & José Tomás Ibarra & Juan L. Celis-Diez & Pedro Mondaca, 2021. "Social-Environmental Conflicts in Chile: Is There Any Potential for an Ecological Constitution?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-25, November.
    4. Rocío Rodríguez-Rivero & Isabel Ortiz-Marcos & Javier Romero & Luis Ballesteros-Sánchez, 2020. "Finding the Links between Risk Management and Project Success: Evidence from International Development Projects in Colombia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-19, November.
    5. Taha Selim Ustun & Shuichi Sugahara & Masaichi Suzuki & Jun Hashimoto & Kenji Otani, 2020. "Power Hardware in-the-Loop Testing to Analyze Fault Behavior of Smart Inverters in Distribution Networks," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-18, November.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Angus W. H. Yip & William Y. P. Yu, 2023. "The Quality of Environmental KPI Disclosure in ESG Reporting for SMEs in Hong Kong," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-26, February.
    2. Tariq, Rasikh & Sheikh, Nadeem Ahmed & Livas-García, A. & Xamán, J. & Bassam, A. & Maisotsenko, Valeriy, 2021. "Projecting global water footprints diminution of a dew-point cooling system: Sustainability approach assisted with energetic and economic assessment," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    3. Tariq, Rasikh & Torres-Aguilar, C.E. & Sheikh, Nadeem Ahmed & Ahmad, Tanveer & Xamán, J. & Bassam, A., 2022. "Data engineering for digital twining and optimization of naturally ventilated solar façade with phase changing material under global projection scenarios," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 187(C), pages 1184-1203.
    4. Zapata, Oscar, 2024. "Renewable energy and well-being in remote Indigenous communities of Canada: A panel analysis," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 222(C).
    5. Kim, Jungbin & Park, Kiho & Yang, Dae Ryook & Hong, Seungkwan, 2019. "A comprehensive review of energy consumption of seawater reverse osmosis desalination plants," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 254(C).
    6. Mehdi Sheikh Goodarzi & Yousef Sakieh & Shabnam Navardi, 2017. "Scenario-based urban growth allocation in a rapidly developing area: a modeling approach for sustainability analysis of an urban-coastal coupled system," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 19(3), pages 1103-1126, June.
    7. Shahriyar Mukhtarov & Hasan Dinçer & Halim Baş & Serhat Yüksel, 2022. "Policy Recommendations for Handling Brain Drains to Provide Sustainability in Emerging Economies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-24, December.
    8. Coady, Joe & Duquette, Jean, 2021. "Quantifying the impacts of biomass driven combined heat and power grids in northern rural and remote communities," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 148(C).
    9. Rashidah Abdul Rahman & Maha Faisal Alsayegh, 2021. "Determinants of Corporate Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) Reporting among Asian Firms," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-13, April.
    10. Martínez-Martínez, Yenisleidy & Dewulf, Jo & Casas-Ledón, Yannay, 2022. "GIS-based site suitability analysis and ecosystem services approach for supporting renewable energy development in south-central Chile," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 182(C), pages 363-376.
    11. Janssen, Sander & van Ittersum, Martin K., 2007. "Assessing farm innovations and responses to policies: A review of bio-economic farm models," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 94(3), pages 622-636, June.
    12. Wang, Qiushi & Liang, Shen & Zhu, Ziye & Wu, Gang & Su, Yuehong & Zheng, Hongfei, 2019. "Performance of seawater-filling type planting system based on solar distillation process: Numerical and experimental investigation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 250(C), pages 1225-1234.
    13. Uthes, Sandra & Sattler, Claudia & Reinhardt, Franz-Josef & Piorr, Annette & Zander, Peter & Happe, Kathrin & Damgaard, Martin & Osuch, Amanda, 2007. "PR - Ecological Effects Of Payment Decoupling In A Case Study Region In Germany," 16th Congress, Cork, Ireland, July 15-20, 2007 345426, International Farm Management Association.
    14. Dmitry A. Ruban & Natalia N. Yashalova, 2022. "Pro-environmental behavior prescribed by top companies of the world," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(6), pages 7918-7935, June.
    15. Hayashida, Sherilyn & La Croix, Sumner & Coffman, Makena, 2021. "Understanding changes in electric vehicle policies in the U.S. states, 2010–2018," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 211-223.
    16. Fletcher, C.S. & Hilbert, David W., 2007. "Resilience in landscape exploitation systems," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 201(3), pages 440-452.
    17. Li, Jiaojiao & Zoghi, Mohammad & Zhao, Linfeng, 2022. "Thermo-economic assessment and optimization of a geothermal-driven tri-generation system for power, cooling, and hydrogen production," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 244(PB).
    18. Nižetić, Sandro & Jurčević, Mišo & Čoko, Duje & Arıcı, Müslüm & Hoang, Anh Tuan, 2021. "Implementation of phase change materials for thermal regulation of photovoltaic thermal systems: Comprehensive analysis of design approaches," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 228(C).
    19. Ipate Iudith, 2015. "Approaches to Bioeconomic Modelling in correlation with Consumer Model and Biodiversity Indicators," Acta Universitatis Danubius. OEconomica, Danubius University of Galati, issue 11(2), pages 61-71, April.
    20. Umut Ünal & Rıfgı Buğra Bağcı & Mertcan Taşçıoğlu, 2024. "The perfect combination to win the competition: Bringing sustainability and customer experience together," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(5), pages 4806-4824, July.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:18:p:7432-:d:411393. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.