An Ethnographic Exploration of Electromobility, Lithium Ion Batteries, and Decarbonization in China and Chile

Cristobal Bonelli presented some preliminary findings of Worlds of Lithium research in Chile and China at the The Sociology of Development and Change (SDC) seminar at Wageningen University.

In this presentation, he introduced the concept of ŒMISSIONS as a heuristic to examine the often-overlooked Omissions stemming from Emissions reduction initiatives and technologies. Drawing on ethnographic research carried out in Chile and China, he critically analyzed the eco-modern pursuit of decarbonization, particularly within the context of electric transportation and its optimistic dependence on lithium-ion batteries. He explored how the emphasis on specialized chemical abstractions and the portrayal of batteries as pivotal tools for decarbonization omits significant transformations in regions governed by energo-power dynamics and productive notions of work and labour.