The Shadows of Green Capitalism: Continuity or Change in Corporate Violence in the Extractive Sector?

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This project aims to understand new forms of corporate violence in the extractive industry, particularly those tied to the 'green transition'. The 'green transition' refers to the push towards renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, battery driven vehicles or energy storage solutions, as a way to eliminate reliance on fossil fuels (Whitmore, 2021). Key to this transition is the logic of 'green capitalism' which proposes environmentally friendly policies as 'cost-effective' ways to combat climate change (Rogers, 2009). These 'market solutions' centre around new technologies, such as lithium batteries, and rely heavily on the extraction of minerals such as lithium, cobalt or nickel. The transition, which is supported by bodies such as the UN or the World Bank, has thus led to a surge in the extraction of 'green' minerals, especially in resource rich areas like Latin America's 'lithium triangle' (Vásquez, 2020). While minerals are celebrated as solutions, the 'shadows' of the transition and its ties to the world's 'deadliest' sector for environmental and human rights defenders remain obscured. Consequently, violence due to corporate conduct, especially against communities living near extractive sites, and the environment itself, is aggravating.