Procedural justice in the development of renewable energies in Spain. The experience of the Defensa Valle Esgueva Association

Abstract

As long as necessary to combat climate change, renewable energy projects must be carried out in a sustainable way to respects the environment and the local population. This article highlights the need for participatory governance and culture to try to minimize negative impacts of energy projects on nature, landscapes and local cultures, in terms of environmental and social justice. and procedural justice. Instead of exogenous developments, it highlights the importance of neighbourhood mobilisations for territory’s rights and the public administration need to promote land-use planning policies such as planning that involve social and citizen participation in decision-making. The sources used are bibliographical, reports, public administrative documentation and direct observation data. It focuses on a specific territorial environment, the Esgueva Valley in the province of Valladolid, Castilla y León, where the role of the Defensa Valle Esgueva Association, its active participation and its capacity for citizen mobilisation demonstrate the importance of building tools for direct democracy and citizen intervention in decision-making.