Transforming the energy paradigm

rights of nature and ecosocial transitions

Abstract

The 21st century confronts an unprecedented polycrisis, a product of a civilizational system rooted in economic growth and nature’s exploitation. This convergence of simultaneous crises manifests through climate change, environmental devastation, and escalating social and economic inequalities, exacerbated by the recent COVID-19 pandemic, which exposed the fragility of health and economic systems. In light of governments’ inability to coordinate global responses, the need for new perspectives that challenge the dominant civilizational model becomes evident. Decarbonization, understood as the shift toward renewable energies, proves insufficient in its current implementation, as it reproduces extractivist logic and deepens inequalities by focusing on the Global South. Instead of fostering structural change, economic power remains concentrated, perpetuating a “green colonialism” that subordinates peripheral countries. Just energy transition and ecological justice are proposals that demand an equitable redistribution of benefits and costs, amplifying the voices of local communities and respecting the Rights of Nature. Energy democratization and degrowth emerge as alternatives to overcome the fetish of economic growth, proposing an economy that prioritizes sustainability, equity, and environmental regeneration. This vision questions wealth accumulation at nature’s expense and suggests a harmonious relationship with the planet, where human well-being is intrinsically linked to ecological balance and the rights of nature.