Ongoing research projects
Carbon-neutral urbanization: The urban political ecology of low-carbon cities
Main researcher. ANID/FONDECYT/Postdoctorado 2022 - 2025
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This work addresses carbon-neutral urbanization in a global sense, examining the multiple urban processes derived from the objective of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with the Paris Agreement. This not only considers the cities in which the measures are implemented, but also the urban processes that support the mineral extraction networks that feed them, such as logistics cities or mining camps, in the regions of Antofagasta and Atacama. For this purpose, the project proposes aurban political ecology of carbon-neutrality that articulately examines three dimensions that articulate carbon-neutral urbanization: social processes and power relations; nature metabolization; and spatial forms. On that basis, the rglobal production headquarters of electric vehicles, which have exponentially increased their production, and are projected to continue doing so in the coming decades. The analysis of the global production networks of these two technologies will inevitably lead to the examination of copper and lithium extraction sites in the regions of Antofagasta and Atacama, as both minerals are key for these inputs, and in turn these regions are props. of Chile's global prominence in these resources. About the heuristics of global production networks, you can identify thespace anchors keys to the production of these products, examining the geographical articulation between extraction, processing, manufacturing and circulation processes. In this way, it will be possible to distinguish the different socio-spatial processes associated with carbon-neutral urbanization, such as extraction sites, logistics cities, service cities, or global cities.
Green unionism? Comparative analysis of the dynamics of labor, environmental and territorial protest in the mining and salmon sectors
Main researcher, together with Miguel Atienza, Pablo Perez and Diego Velázquez.
Mini COES Project, 2023
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The project examines the relationships between union action and environmental and local issues, identifying patterns of association and distancing between labor, environmental and territorial protests. For this purpose, the databases of the Labor Strike Observatory and the Conflict Observatory will be analyzed in detail, to examine how time, space and form affect the agency of these three fields of demand. The analysis will be carried out in the regions of Antofagasta and Los Lagos, which not only allow contrasting regions in which the exploitation of natural resources plays a predominant role, but also how the materiality and history of the productive process configure the mobilization agendas
How to improve environmental qualification processes? Environmental Evaluation, Conflicts and Citizen Participation in Energy projects
Main researcher, together with Caroline Stamm, Carolina Rojas and Francisca Reyes.
XVIII Concurso Políticas Públicas UC, 2023
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This project addresses the relationship between environmental evaluation processes, conflict and instances of citizen participation. More specifically, energy generation projects entered into the environmental evaluation system are addressed in the form of studies (EIAs) or declarations (DIAs) that had instances of citizen participation. The focus on the energy sector not only allows us to better understand the evaluation of projects necessary to advance the process of decarbonization of the energy matrix committed by the country, but also to investigate a sector in which conflict is relevant and that the evaluation of projects extends over the mean. Work is carried out temporarily between the last major reform to the environmental evaluation regulations (August 2013) and the last update of the protests database of the Center for Conflict and Social Cohesion Studies (December 2021). Regarding this analysis, we work mainly on the relationship between conflict, citizen participation and processing times, as well as the relationship between conflict and the presentation of administrative resources.
Labor regimes of lithium-ion batteries value chain: Unpacking socio-spatial relationships between Sweden and Chile
Co researcher, Henrik Ernstson (KTH) leads. KTH, ABE/SEED, Starting Grants 2023 - 2024
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This project examines labor regimes at different stages of lithium-ion battery (LiB) production networks to analyze and compare how discourses on a just energy transition unevenly shape labor dynamics around the world. Through multi-site research that compares the labor regimes of different regions participating in the value chain in geographical perspective, this project examines the relationship between capital, labor and nature in the different cities and regions in which the chain is located. of value. In this way, international discussions that advocate a fair energy transition are contrasted with the manifestation of the transition in cities and regions that participate in the production network of critical technologies for the transition.