Models in dispute

the chinese energy transition as an alternative to social and land exclusion in the semi-arid northeastern region

Abstract

The article examines the Brazilian and Chinese models of renewable energy expansion, comparing them in terms of land tenure security and energy justice. In Brazil, this process has been marked by the weakening of territorial rights and interference in traditional subsistence practices, especially in rural areas with onshore wind potential. In contrast, the Chinese experience is characterized by centralized planning that combines the preservation of productive land, the protection of traditional ways of life, and policies aimed at integrating social justice into the energy transition. Based on this comparison, the article analyzes, through the lens of accumulation by dispossession, how the Chinese regulatory model for protecting productive land and traditional livelihoods can contribute to improving Brazilian strategies for safeguarding land rights in areas with onshore wind potential. The methodology combines a narrative literature review on renewable energy and its socio-environmental impacts with a documentary analysis of the national legislations of both countries. The findings highlight that, in Brazil, the absence of a specific energy zoning framework and robust public instruments for land tenure regulation weakens local communities. The article concludes that the establishment of zoning specifically directed at renewable sources, coupled with the transformation of lease and land-use agreements into public law instruments, represents a promising path toward a fairer, more inclusive, and balanced energy transition.