Extractivism

This article reconceptualises extractivism as a core mechanism shaping climate-induced (im)mobilities, moving beyond technocratic framings that overlook its embedded socio-ecological and political dimensions. Drawing upon a qualitative case study in Antofagasta, Chile – an epicentre of copper and lithium extraction – we explore how classical, neo-, and green extractivisms generate not only territorial dispossession but also structural (im)mobility traps. In Antofagasta, in-depth interviews reveal the normalization of environmental degradation, precarious labour dependence, and infrastructural abandonment as drivers of immobility. The region’s inhabitants – caught between desires for mobility and structural constraints – experience what the authors term “extractivist-based immobilities.” Discourses around “green mining” and technological fixes are met with scepticism, as they obscure persistent inequalities and fail to address the underlying drivers of socio-environmental harm. This article contributes to the climate mobility literature by foregrounding the relational geographies and power asymmetries embedded in extractive regimes. It calls for a politically re-signified understanding of extractivism – one that incorporates ecological, economic, and epistemic justice – as essential to any meaningful transition. Ultimately, it argues that decarbonization without de-extractivisation risks deepening global disparities and re-anchoring vulnerable communities to sacrifice in the name of a greener world.