Water Rights, Extractive Resources, and Petroleum Politics

Abstract

Since the turn of the last century, the Andean region has witnessed a pronounced escalation of investment in extractive enterprises. Driven in large part by historically high commodity prices and rising Chinese demand, both left-leaning and centrist governments have sought to finance programs of economic redistribution with oil and mineral rents. While generating significant socio-economic benefits throughout the region, these projects have also contributed to the intensification of environmental conflicts, particularly around water. This chapter situates these struggles within the broader history and political-economy of Latin America before considering the reasons for the intensifying focu..