Date of Award

Spring 5-8-2026

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Department

Environmental Studies

Advisor(s)

John van Buren

Abstract

This article examines the environmental, political, and economic dimensions of lithium mining in Chile's Atacama Desert, a critical site within South America's "Lithium Triangle." Chapter 1 utilizes both quantitative and qualitative data to introduce the environmental problems of water shortage, ecosystem stress, and biodiversity loss associated with lithium mining, presented within the framework of the ecosystem services approach. This approach categorizes the impacts into four categories: supporting, regulating, provisioning, and cultural, which affect both human and ecological well-being. Chapter 2 applies the academic field of political ecology to analyze how corporate accountability, government policy, and governance shape environmental performance and relationships with local stakeholders. Chapter 3, drawing on ecological economics, discusses global trends in markets and wealth distribution, as well as Chile's dependence on lithium exports. Chapter 4 adopts a sustainable design and technology perspective to examine solutions that balance development and conservation, and Chapter 5 synthesizes the learning from all preceding chapters to inform policy recommendations that advance equitable and sustainable lithium mining practices. Drawing on interdisciplinary scholarship, this paper highlights the paradox of "green extractivism", a green-tagged process that is, in reality, environmentally destructive, and underscores the need for reforms in governance that combine climate goals with justice for local communities. Keywords: lithium extraction, Atacama Desert, ecosystem services, water scarcity, political ecology, ecological economics, environmental justice, sustainable mining, policy reform.

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