By Adrienne Wiebe, MCC Latin America
I was confused. – Isn’t wind energy a GOOD thing?!
An indigenous leader was passionately denouncing the the wind farms in his community. We were in a workshop in southern Mexico in which a lawyer was assisting indigenous community leaders to understand the laws governing their land and rights for self-determination.
The narrowest part of Mexico is the Istmo de Tehuantepec, a bridge of land between the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, and it is one of the windiest places on earth.
This part of the state of Oaxaca, Mexico is also the home of Zapotec, Huave and Mixe indigenous people. They are largely agriculturalists and fisherfolk living on collectively owned land.
There is a growing industry, encouraged by the central government, to produce wind-power in Mexico since 1994. Many national and international corporations are planning to build or have already built huge wind farms, particularly in the last 5 years.
Current Conflicts in Latin America
There is a dramatic difference between the types of conflict and violence currently occurring in the cities and the rural areas of Latin America. While the cities are the site of gang violence, organized crime and the structural violence of poverty and marginalization; in the rural areas, the conflicts are over the ownership and control of natural resources.
In the rural areas, there are currently conflicts throughout the region over large-scale mining, hydroelectric dams, and African palm plantations, among other mega “development” projects. (See previous blogs on these.)
Wind Energy: Green and Good?
While mining, dams, and export agriculture, are obviously destructive to environments and community livelihoods, what about the case of large-scale wind-power development?
In this case, there are some negative impacts on local farming activities, and the noise of the turbines is sometimes a problem. However, the larger problem is about the lack of participation of the local communities, in the decision-making processes. In addition, the strategies used by government and corporate officials to gain an appearance of community agreement, have created divisions and social conflict within the community. On top of that, the local communities benefit very little from the presence of the wind projects.
Last month a community conflict escalated related to a Oaxaca wind-power project, (partially owned by ENEL, the Italian corporation building hydro-dams in Guatemala). The benefits to the El Espinal community where it is located include: a paved road, fixed up the central plaza in town, and a soccer field. Another community received about $38,000 to pave a road, and another received $30,000 for a transmission line. The majority of the power will be used by transnationals, Nestlé, and FEMSA, a Mexican-based corporation that bottles Coca-Cola drinks and operates the Oxxo chain.
Process is Important
So while in this case, generating renewable wind energy may sound like a great idea, the problem is the unequal power-relations between communities and governments/corporations in the decision-making and negotiation process of how natural resources will be developed and for whose benefit.
References
Laura Hamister, 2012. “Wind Development of Oaxaca, Mexico’s Isthmus of Tehuantepec: Energy Efficient or Human Rights Deficient?” Mexican Law Review, Vol V, No. 1, p. 151-179.
http://biblio.juridicas.unam.mx/revista/pdf/MexicanLawReview/9/nte/nte5.pdf
Proceso Article about windpower conflicts in Oaxaca, March 24, 2013
there’s something called wind turbine syndrome (if i’m right). It’s a collection of symptoms after being exposed to the grinding turbines that purportedly emit sonic waves.
interestingly, people develop the syndrome AFTER being told that there’s such a thing. LOL
Interesting that other environmental issues have not yet been named. Mexico is a major bird migration route. In South Africa wind turbines are banned in certain areas of the country precisely because of how wind farms impact migratory birds.