From buying out to buying in? Exploring the politics of value creation in green energy transition projects

Datos Bibliográficos

ID17826348
AutoresL Buur (0000-0001-8069-7140, Roskilde University, autor de correspondencia), Jacob Ulrich (0009-0008-5177-2840, Roskilde University)
Año2026
Páginas1-16
Fecha de publicación2026-04-17
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaAnthropology Southern Africa (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 2332-3264 • E-ISSN: 2332-3256
EditorialTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/23323256.2026.2642007
OpenAlexW7154714277
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas1
Referencias citadas46

Investments in critical raw mineral mining and green transition investments (GTIs) are expected to grow substantially worldwide, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. This creates a dilemma: while GTIs are essential to address global climate change, they often break down in the face of community resistance stemming from local people’s superficial inclusion. We argue that GTIs mirror traditional extractivism because they prioritise monetary compensation and accumulation over local communities’ own notions of value. Theoretically, we adopt an economic anthropology perspective on value that includes, as valuable, social identities and relational exchanges that underpin livelihoods. Viewing value through social relations challenges the presently dominant assumption that monetary compensation is a generic or universal measure of worth. We show that the buying out logic of extractivist investments reflects market driven resettlement and compensation schemes. Our analysis of GTIs in Kenya and South Africa demonstrates how diverse local interests and extant socio-political structures expose both the potential and limitations of what such projects can realistically achieve.

Energy (signal processing) · Politics · Transition (genetics) · Value (mathematics) · Value creation · Social Acceptance of Renewable Energy · Sustainability and Climate Change Governance · Sustainable Development and Policies