Home Institution
Georgetown University
Publication Date
Spring 2022
Abstract
La transición energética hizo cobrar nueva importancia a los yacimientos metalíferos y no metalíferos y generó un nuevo patrón de demanda, especialmente para el caso del litio. Los actores importantes en la cadena de valor de las baterías de ion-litio intensificaron su control sobre cada etapa de sus negocios, y las políticas de los países abundantes en litio son cruciales para determinar cómo afecta a sus territorios esta carrera por el litio. Jujuy, una provincia que podría considerarse periférica de la Argentina, declaró el litio como un recurso estratégico en 2011. La provincia creó ciertos instrumentos para ejercer mayor control sobre los actores internacionales con interés en el litio en la provincia, y para tratar de aumentar su posición en la cadena de valor del litio. Mientras que Jujuy tuvo una ventana de oportunidad en 2011 para lograr estos objetivos, las políticas necesarias no continuaron y los instrumentos originalmente planeados no existen, no funcionan en su manera prevista, o carecen de apoyo político y financiamiento. A su vez, el marco normativo federal de Argentina desfavorece este tipo de proyecto estratégico, ya que existe un clima favorable para los negocios de los intereses internacionales de minería. El sistema de capitalismo verde se estructura en una manera asimétrica, ya que los actores desarrollados son los que controlan la extracción, procesamiento, y fabricación de productos que utilizan litio como insumo. Dicho clima significó que el nuevo patrón de demanda resultó en una reprimarización de la economía argentina, y una nueva dependencia tecnológica y económica frente a los actores globales en el sector del litio. Por lo tanto, la entrada de nuevos actores, tales como Jujuy, en la cadena de valor sería muy difícil. En el contexto actual, la provincia de Jujuy debe pensar en cuáles son los pasos realistas a seguir para regular al sector de litio, y generar resultados beneficiosos para la provincia.
The renewable energy transition has placed new importance on mineral deposits and generated a new pattern of demand, especially for lithium. The important actors in the lithium-ion battery value chain have intensified their control over each stage of their commercial operations and therefore, the policies of the countries abundant in lithium are crucial in determining how they are effected by this rush for the lithium within their terrain. Jujuy, a province that could be considered in the periphery of Argentina, declared lithium a strategic resource in 2011. The province established certain instruments as part of the declaration in order exercise greater control over the international actors with interest in the province’s lithium and to increase their position in the lithium value chain. While Jujuy had an opportunity to achieve these objectives in 2011, the needed policies did not follow the initial decree and instrumentals that were initially planned either do not exist, do not function as they were conceived of originally, or lack political support and funding. Likewise, Argentina’s federal mining norms disadvantage this type of strategic project since there exists a favorable business climate for the international mining interests. The green capitalism system is structured in an asymmetrical manner, since the actors in the developed world are those that control the extracción, processing, and production of products that utilize lithium as an input. Said climate signifies that the new pattern of demand has resulted in a reprimarization of Argentina’s economy, and a new technological and economic dependence on global actors in the lithium sector. Therefore, the entrance of new actors, such as Jujuy in the lithium value chain would be very difficult. In light of this reality, the province of Jujuy should think of the realistic steps they can take to regulate the lithium sector and promote beneficial outcomes for the province.
Disciplines
Civic and Community Engagement | Environmental Health and Protection | Environmental Indicators and Impact Assessment | Environmental Studies | Growth and Development | Latin American Studies | Mining Engineering | Natural Resources Management and Policy | Place and Environment | Politics and Social Change | Sustainability
Recommended Citation
Kaye, Max, "“La Ultra Periferia de un País Periférico”: La Política Estratégica Litífera en Jujuy: Los Objetivos, Los Instrumentos, y los Desafíos / The Ultra Periphery of a Periphery Country: The Strategic Policy Towards Lithium in Jujuy: The Objectives, the Instruments, and the Challenges" (2022). Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection. 3439.
https://digitalcollections.sit.edu/isp_collection/3439
Included in
Civic and Community Engagement Commons, Environmental Health and Protection Commons, Environmental Indicators and Impact Assessment Commons, Environmental Studies Commons, Growth and Development Commons, Latin American Studies Commons, Mining Engineering Commons, Natural Resources Management and Policy Commons, Place and Environment Commons, Politics and Social Change Commons, Sustainability Commons
Program Name
Argentina: Transnationalism and Comparative Development in South America