Mexico: Policymaking to Ensure Energy Justice in Renewables Development

This case study examines Mexico's efforts to integrate energy justice into its renewable energy expansion. While the country has rapidly increased solar and wind capacity and implemented new social impact assessment (SIA) and consultation laws between 2013 and 2018, significant implementation gaps remain. Social conflicts, often stemming from inadequate consultation with Indigenous and local communities, have delayed numerous energy projects and highlighted tensions between ambitious climate targets and the protection of community rights.

• Mexico has rapidly increased its renewable energy capacity to meet climate goals, with solar PV and wind generation growing from 8.95 TWh in 2015 to 24.2 TWh in 2019. The country's clean electricity share reached 20% in 2019, and it has pledged to achieve 35% clean energy by 2024 and 50% by 2050.
• Large-scale energy projects have faced significant social opposition due to inadequate consultation processes, environmental damage, and the criminalization of Indigenous community members. As of 2017, 54 energy infrastructure projects were considered at risk due to social conflict, and 66% of energy projects were reported as delayed because of social impacts.
• Between 2013 and 2018, Mexico introduced a legal framework to improve social impact assessments (SIAs) and consultations, including compulsory SIAs reviewed by the Secretary of Energy (SENER) and requirements for prior and informed consent under Convention 169 of the International Labour Organization. During the 2012–2018 administration, nine of 14 energy project consultations with Indigenous communities were completed, with eight securing consent.
• Energy justice issues are exemplified in Oaxaca's Isthmus of Tehuantepec, where high wind energy potential exists alongside high poverty and energy insecurity. In 2013, only 22% of the wind energy generated in this region went to the public power grid, with the rest serving private corporations such as Coca-Cola, Heineken, and Bimbo.
• Legal challenges have successfully halted projects that violated consultation rights. In May 2020, the Mexican Supreme Court voided permits for the Yucatán Solar Park project after finding that the developer, JinkoSolar, violated the residents' right to prior consultation.

APA

World Resources Institute (2021). Mexico: Policymaking to Ensure Energy Justice in Renewables Development. https://www.wri.org/snapshots/mexico-policymaking-ensure-energy-justice-renewables-development

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Mexico: Policymaking to Ensure Energy Justice in Renewables Development. 2021. https://www.wri.org/snapshots/mexico-policymaking-ensure-energy-justice-renewables-development.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Mexico: Policymaking to Ensure Energy Justice in Renewables Development |date=1 April 2021 |url=https://www.wri.org/snapshots/mexico-policymaking-ensure-energy-justice-renewables-development |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitute2021mexico, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Mexico: Policymaking to Ensure Energy Justice in Renewables Development}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, year = {2021}, month = apr, url = {https://www.wri.org/snapshots/mexico-policymaking-ensure-energy-justice-renewables-development}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }