The Puna de Atacama, home to vast salt flats and fragile highland ecosystems, is now being transformed by the extraction of lithium. This mineral is central to the green transition and global decarbonisation efforts, rendering the region a geophysical asset and a site of ontological dispute. As planetary urbanisation extends its operational landscapes into remote ecologies (Brenner & Katsikis, 2020), ancestral territories become increasingly entangled in extractive logics that reframe land, water and life through the imperatives of energy storage and global market demands.
This research project explores the potential for negotiations between different ontologies. Grounded in political ecology and decolonial thought, it explores how power relations are formed and how they influence the politics of transition, knowledge hierarchies, and the rationales underlying territorial governance. Through situated case studies in the Olaroz-Cauchari and Salinas Grandes–Laguna de Guayatayoc watersheds, the investigation unfolds along three interconnected lines of inquiry: the spatial organisation of extractivist and ancestral territorialities; governance structures and negotiations between divergent ontologies; and epistemic frameworks through which territory is interpreted, represented, and acted upon.
Ultimately, this thesis does not merely critique existing paradigms; it seeks to open up the possibility of alternative territorial configurations and imaginative approaches that recognise distributed agency, ontological plurality, and the potential for a fairer, more reciprocal and context-sensitive way of inhabiting these fragile, contested landscapes.

In an era marked by pressing environmental concerns and the urgent need for sustainable solutions, our project embarked on a transformative journey, envisioning a future where nature-based strategies not only combat climate change but also foster economic prosperity and social justice.

With CO2 emissions reaching alarming levels and posing grave threats to the environment, human health, and global stability, conventional approaches to combat climate change often fall short in addressing the intricate interplay between social, economic, and environmental factors. Our research sought to tackle this challenge towards a just transition to a low-carbon economy: “How can we design a circular economy of carbon storage focussing on nature-based solutions?"

Grounded in the principles of sustainability and equity, our approach initially focused on proposing nature-based solutions to reduce CO2 levels. However, recognizing the need for a holistic transformation, our methodology evolved to integrate bio-based economy concepts and community-centric design principles. This involved a rigorous examination of existing policies, spatial analyses, and stakeholder engagement to develop a comprehensive strategy.
The overarching goal was to present a visionary blueprint for transforming land use, emphasizing nature-based solutions as central to carbon mitigation efforts while fostering economic development and social resilience. This entailed the creation of green corridors, the establishment of productive communities, and the promotion of collaboration within the bio-based economy.

Through our research, we identified forests and wetlands as beneficial nature-based storage methods for the Netherlands, with significant potential to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy. Despite spatial conflicts and implementation challenges, investing in the bio-based economy, particularly in construction using bio-based materials, emerged as a promising avenue for economic growth. Our phased approach to implementation outlined pathways for achieving equitable CO2 reduction while maximizing environmental and social benefits.

Our work extends far beyond environmental conservation. By presenting a transformative vision that integrates nature-based solutions with socio-economic considerations, we offer a roadmap for policymakers, businesses, and communities to navigate the complexities of climate change mitigation. This matters because it signals a paradigm shift towards sustainable development, where the preservation of nature goes hand in hand with economic prosperity and social equity, ensuring a resilient and thriving future for generations to come.