Indigenous lithium SDG transition

This policy brief argues that global development frameworks like the SDGs often ignore the perspectives of Indigenous Peoples. Using a case study of lithium mining in the Argentinian High Andean Plateau, it advocates for locally-grounded indicators and the inclusion of local stakeholders to ensure a more equitable and context-sensitive energy transition.

• Global frameworks like the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) often lack equity and justice for low-income areas because their metrics are frequently designed from the perspective of high-income countries and fail to incorporate the knowledge systems, priorities, and values of Indigenous Peoples and local communities.
• SEI and researchers in Argentina conducted a case study on lithium mining in the Argentinian High Andean Plateau to recommend SDG indicators that are grounded locally to better address the needs of communities.
• Integrating local insights with global goals through an iterative process can lead to more fair, sustainable, and equitable energy transition programs and policymaking that is sensitive to the specific context.

APA

Stockholm Environment Institute (2025). Indigenous lithium SDG transition. https://www.sei.org/publications/indigenous-lithium-sdg-transition/

Chicago

Stockholm Environment Institute. Indigenous lithium SDG transition. 2025. https://www.sei.org/publications/indigenous-lithium-sdg-transition/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Stockholm Environment Institute |title=Indigenous lithium SDG transition |date=9 July 2025 |url=https://www.sei.org/publications/indigenous-lithium-sdg-transition/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockholmenvironmentinstitute2025indigenous, author = {{Stockholm Environment Institute}}, title = {{Indigenous lithium SDG transition}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2025}, month = jul, url = {https://www.sei.org/publications/indigenous-lithium-sdg-transition/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }