Indigenous Peoples in the Renewable Energy Transition: Protest, Contestation, and the Potential of Improved Deliberation

Renewable energy plays a key role in the global energy transition, but this transition has encountered significant contestation, particularly where Indigenous Peoples’ rights are neglected in the development of largescale wind and solar projects. In the face of persistent and systemic patterns of racism and inequality, governments and companies often fail to respect the right to self-determination and free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC). In response, Indigenous Peoples have actively protested, litigated, and sought to shape legal frameworks better suited to protect their communities. Their full inclusion and participation in decisionmaking are essential for a just and equitable energy transition.