scholarly journals Insurrection for land, sea and dignity: resistance and autonomy against wind energy in Álvaro Obregón, Mexico

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Dunlap
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Wind Energy ◽  
Climate Change Mitigation ◽  
Social Divisions ◽  
Sand Bar ◽  
Wind Energy Development ◽  
The Village ◽  
The Town ◽  
Change Mitigation

Providing a glimpse into the reality of wind energy development, the story of Álvaro Obregón is one of resistance. Álvaro Obregón is a primarily Zapotec semi-subsistence community located near the entrance of the Santa Teresa sand bar (Barra), where in 2011 Mareña Renovables initiated the process of building 102 wind turbines. Demonstrating the complicated micro-politics of land acquisition, conflict and unrest, this article argues that climate change mitigation initiatives are sparking land grabs and conflict with the renewed valuation of wind resources. Insurrection against the Mareña Renovables wind project has spawned a long-term conflict, which has created social divisions and a type of low-intensity civil war within the town. This article will chronicle the uprising against the wind company, battles with police, and the town hall takeover, which includes analyzing the conflict taking place between the cabildo comunitario and the constitucionalistas. Subsequent sections examine the different perspectives within the village and how this battle between the Communitarians and the wind company continues today. The article reveals the complications associated with land deals, the conflict generating potential of climate change mitigation practices and, finally, concludes by reflecting on the difficulties of formulating alternatives to development within a conflict situation.

scholarly journals ‘The Town is Surrounded:’ From Climate Concerns to life under Wind Turbines in La Ventosa, Mexico

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 16-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Dunlap
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Wind Energy ◽  
Wind Turbines ◽  
Climate Change Mitigation ◽  
Energy Development ◽  
Anthropogenic Climate Change ◽  
Industrial Economy ◽  
Wind Energy Development ◽  
The Town ◽  
Change Mitigation

The Isthmus of Tehuantepec region of southwest Oaxaca, Mexico, known locally as the Istmo, was identified in 2003 as a prime site for wind energy development. Supported by climate change mitigation legislation, a ‘wind rush’ engulfed the Istmo. Now, La Ventosa sits surrounded by high-tension wires and wind turbines, some only 280 meters from homes. This paper argues that new valuations of wind resources based on market mechanisms and anthropogenic climate change laws are intensifying the destructive trajectory of the industrial economy. There are benefits for land owners and political authorities, and what amounts to token civil works projects for the town. But the majority of people interviewed expressed dissatisfaction towards the existence of wind parks surrounding the town. Instead of collective benefits, the wind parks brought different degrees of health concerns, enormous increases in land, rent, food, and electricity prices, as well as insecurity. The findings here demonstrate that wind energy development, encouraged by climate change mitigation policies, is intensifying pre-existing trends towards inequality and poverty in La Ventosa. Meanwhile, the destructive operations of the global industrial economy are renewed, using market-based approaches to mitigating anthropogenic climate change.

scholarly journals A framework for the cross-sectoral integration of multi-model impact projections: land use decisions under climate impacts uncertainties

2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 447-460 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Frieler ◽  
A. Levermann ◽  
J. Elliott ◽  
J. Heinke ◽  
A. Arneth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Climate Change Mitigation ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Impact Model ◽  
Natural Carbon ◽  
Change Mitigation ◽  
Biome Model

Abstract. Climate change and its impacts already pose considerable challenges for societies that will further increase with global warming (IPCC, 2014a, b). Uncertainties of the climatic response to greenhouse gas emissions include the potential passing of large-scale tipping points (e.g. Lenton et al., 2008; Levermann et al., 2012; Schellnhuber, 2010) and changes in extreme meteorological events (Field et al., 2012) with complex impacts on societies (Hallegatte et al., 2013). Thus climate change mitigation is considered a necessary societal response for avoiding uncontrollable impacts (Conference of the Parties, 2010). On the other hand, large-scale climate change mitigation itself implies fundamental changes in, for example, the global energy system. The associated challenges come on top of others that derive from equally important ethical imperatives like the fulfilment of increasing food demand that may draw on the same resources. For example, ensuring food security for a growing population may require an expansion of cropland, thereby reducing natural carbon sinks or the area available for bio-energy production. So far, available studies addressing this problem have relied on individual impact models, ignoring uncertainty in crop model and biome model projections. Here, we propose a probabilistic decision framework that allows for an evaluation of agricultural management and mitigation options in a multi-impact-model setting. Based on simulations generated within the Inter-Sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project (ISI-MIP), we outline how cross-sectorally consistent multi-model impact simulations could be used to generate the information required for robust decision making. Using an illustrative future land use pattern, we discuss the trade-off between potential gains in crop production and associated losses in natural carbon sinks in the new multiple crop- and biome-model setting. In addition, crop and water model simulations are combined to explore irrigation increases as one possible measure of agricultural intensification that could limit the expansion of cropland required in response to climate change and growing food demand. This example shows that current impact model uncertainties pose an important challenge to long-term mitigation planning and must not be ignored in long-term strategic decision making.

scholarly journals Examining the potential for climate change mitigation from zero tillage

2015 ◽  
Vol 153 (7) ◽  
pp. 1151-1173 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. MANGALASSERY ◽  
S. SJÖGERSTEN ◽  
D. L. SPARKES ◽  
S. J. MOONEY
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Winter Wheat ◽  
Climate Change Mitigation ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Tropical Soils ◽  
C Sequestration ◽  
Zero Tillage ◽  
Change Mitigation

SUMMARYThe benefits of reduced and zero-tillage systems have been presented as reducing runoff, enhancing water retention and preventing soil erosion. There is also general agreement that the practice can conserve and enhance soil organic carbon (C) levels to some extent. However, their applicability in mitigating climate change has been debated extensively, especially when the whole profile of C in the soil is considered, along with a reported risk of enhanced nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions. The current paper presents a meta-analysis of existing literature to ascertain the climate change mitigation opportunities offered by minimizing tillage operations. Research suggests zero tillage is effective in sequestering C in both soil surface and sub-soil layers in tropical and temperate conditions. The C sequestration rate in tropical soils can be about five times higher than in temperate soils. In tropical soils, C accumulation is generally correlated with the duration of tillage. Reduced N2O emissions under long-term zero tillage have been reported in the literature but significant variability exists in the N2O flux information. Long-term, location-specific studies are needed urgently to determine the precise role of zero tillage in driving N2O fluxes. Considering the wide variety of crops utilized in zero-tillage studies, for example maize, barley, soybean and winter wheat, only soybean has been reported to show an increase in yield with zero tillage (7·7% over 10 years). In several cases yield reductions have been recorded e.g. c. 1–8% over 10 years under winter wheat and barley, respectively, suggesting zero tillage does not bring appreciable changes in yield but that the difference between the two approaches may be small. A key question that remains to be answered is: are any potential reductions in yield acceptable in the quest to mitigate climate change, given the importance of global food security?

scholarly journals Gulf Cooperation Council Countries’ Climate Change Mitigation Challenges and Exploration of Solar and Wind Energy Resource Potential

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 2648
Author(s):  
Fahad Radhi Alharbi ◽  
Denes Csala
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Wind Speed ◽  
Solar Radiation ◽  
Wind Energy ◽  
Climate Change Mitigation ◽  
Energy Resource ◽  
Energy Resources ◽  
Speed Range ◽  
Wind Energy Resources ◽  
Change Mitigation

Climate change mitigation is one of the most critical challenges of this century. The unprecedented global effects of climate change are wide-ranging, including changing weather patterns that threaten food production, increased risk of catastrophic floods, and rising sea levels. Adapting to these impacts will be more difficult and costly in the future if radical changes are not made now. This review paper evaluates the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries’ potential for solar and wind energy resources to meet climate change mitigation requirements and assesses the ability of the GCC region to shift towards low-carbon technologies. The review demonstrates that the GCC region is characterized by abundant solar energy resources. The northwestern, southeastern, and western mountains of the region are highlighted as locations for solar energy application. Oman displays the highest onshore wind speed range, 3–6.3 m s⁻1, and has the highest annual solar radiation of up to 2500 kWh/m2. Kuwait has the second highest onshore wind speed range of 4.5–5.5 m s⁻1. The western mountains and northwestern Saudi Arabia have a wind speed range of 3–6 m s⁻1. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has the second highest annual solar radiation, 2285 kWh/m2, while Saudi Arabia and the state of Kuwait have equal annual solar radiation at 2200 kWh/m2. This review demonstrates that abundant offshore wind energy resources were observed along the coastal areas of the Arabian Gulf, as well as a potential opportunity for wind energy resource development in the Red Sea, which was characterized by high performance. In addition, the GCC countries will not be able to control and address the interrelated issues of climate change in the future if they do not eliminate fossil fuel consumption, adhere to the Paris Agreement, and implement plans to utilize their natural resources to meet these challenges.

scholarly journals Introduction to the special feature on energy scenarios for long-term climate change mitigation in Japan

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 347-353
Author(s):  
Masahiro Sugiyama ◽  
Shinichiro Fujimori ◽  
Kenichi Wada ◽  
John Weyant
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Climate Change Mitigation ◽  
Change Mitigation
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