.png)
Rising Tides
"Rising Tides" delves into the intersection of environmental issues and social justice. In this podcast, I speak with activists, scientists, policymakers, and community leaders at the forefront of the movement for a fair and sustainable world. From the impacts of climate change on marginalized communities to innovative solutions and policy changes, this podcast sheds light on the struggles and triumphs in the quest for environmental justice.
Rising Tides
Episode 13: Rethinking Climate Action and Lithium Mining with Dr. Javiera Barandiarán
In this episode, I talk with Dr. Javiera Barandiarán about how dominant approaches to climate change often ignore justice, deepen existing inequalities, and rely on solutions that shift environmental harm rather than eliminate it.
We discuss electric vehicles and lithium extraction, where Dr. Barandiarán challenges the idea that EVs are inherently sustainable. Drawing from her upcoming book Living Minerals, she argues that the global push for decarbonization is fueling endless extraction, driven by trade and consumption rather than ecological limits. A truly sustainable future, she suggests, would require slowing production and rethinking climate solutions from a justice perspective. Our conversation also explores the Rights of Nature framework and how it transforms environmental governance by centering ecosystems as living systems, not resources.
Dr. Javiera Barandiarán is Associate Professor of Global Studies at UC Santa Barbara and Director of the Center for Restorative Environmental Work. Her research focuses on the intersection of science, the environment, and development in Latin America. She is the author of several works on environmental politics, and her forthcoming book, Living Minerals: Nature, Trade, and Power in the Race for Lithium, will be published in January 2026. Dr. Barandiarán is a recipient of the Berlin Prize from the American Academy in Berlin and a fellowship from the Rockefeller Foundation’s Bellagio Center for her work on lithium mining.
Learn more about Dr. Barandiarán here.