Green Industrial Policy and Ecological Transformation in Latin America: A Transformative Perspective
Authors:
Daniel Chavez (TNI)
Abstract:
This case study examines the challenges and opportunities for green industrial policy in Latin America, focusing on how countries in the Global South balance the demands of mineral extraction for global green technologies, development needs, and climate action. While Costa Rica and Uruguay have successfully implemented state-led renewable energy programmes, the ‘lithium triangle’ (comprising Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile) faces increased extractivism that benefits elites and transnational corporations rather than local communities. Resource nationalism often perpetuates dependency patterns, characterised by limited technology transfer. The study highlights that the success of green industrial policies largely depends on state capacity, democratic participation mechanisms, and regional cooperation frameworks, rather than resource endowments alone, challenging both neoliberal and deterministic pessimistic narratives.
