¿ENERGÍA BUENA? ¿ENERGÍA MALA?

The document argues that the global energy system is driven by neoliberalism and extractivism, benefiting a small elite while causing climate devastation and energy poverty. It critiques both fossil fuels and certain 'clean' alternatives—such as mega-dams and industrial biofuels—as destructive. The authors advocate for a decentralized, democratically controlled energy system that prioritizes human rights and ecological limits over corporate profit.

• The current global energy matrix is fundamentally unsustainable and unjust, with 57% of global greenhouse gas emissions resulting from CO2 released by fossil fuel use.
• Significant global inequalities exist in energy access and consumption; approximately 1.3 billion people lack electricity and 2.6 billion lack clean cooking facilities, while consumption per capita in the Global North vastly exceeds that of the Global South.
• The report identifies 'extractivism'—an economic model rooted in colonial-era expropriation of natural resources in developing countries—and neoliberalism as the primary drivers of the current destructive energy system.
• Coal is described as the single greatest threat to the climate, with nearly 40% of global electricity coming from coal, and its production causing severe health issues and forced displacements.
• The document argues that mega-dams are not sustainable and are a major anthropogenic source of methane, contributing to approximately 23% of all human-caused methane emissions.
• Industrial agrofuels and biomass are criticized for driving land grabbing in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, and for potentially releasing significantly more CO2 than the fossil fuels they replace.
• Nuclear energy is characterized as high-cost and dangerous, with long-term waste disposal remaining an unsolved problem as radioactive waste must be stored for up to 1 million years.
• The report warns that the transition to renewables carries risks if led by corporations, including new land grabbing, human rights violations, and the potential for renewables to become a 'Trojan horse' for further privatization.
• Technological 'false solutions' such as carbon trading, carbon capture and storage (CCS), and geoengineering are viewed as attempts by corporate interests to maintain dependence on destructive energy sources.
• A just energy system must be based on 'energy sovereignty,' defined as the right of peoples to access energy and decide on sustainable sources and consumption patterns.

APA

Clifton, S.-J., & Bhatnagar, D. (2013). ¿ENERGÍA BUENA? ¿ENERGÍA MALA? Friends of the Earth International. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Energia-Buena-Energia-Mala.pdf

Chicago

Clifton, Sarah-Jayne, and Dipti Bhatnagar. ¿ENERGÍA BUENA? ¿ENERGÍA MALA? Friends of the Earth International, 2013. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Energia-Buena-Energia-Mala.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Clifton |first1=Sarah-Jayne |last2=Bhatnagar |first2=Dipti |title=¿ENERGÍA BUENA? ¿ENERGÍA MALA? |publisher=Friends of the Earth International |date=2013 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Energia-Buena-Energia-Mala.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{clifton2013energa, author = {Clifton, Sarah-Jayne and Bhatnagar, Dipti}, title = {{¿ENERGÍA BUENA? ¿ENERGÍA MALA?}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2013}, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Energia-Buena-Energia-Mala.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }