TITLE:
Environmental Justice in the Era of Green Energy: A Critical Appraisal of Hydropower Expansion in Indigenous Territories of Nepal
AUTHORS:
Samjhana Rawat Sharma, Manan Sharma
KEYWORDS:
Environmental Justice, Hydropower Development, Indigenous Communities, Climate Change, Green Energy Transition, Eco-Justice, Displacement and Resettlement, Compensation and Livelihoods, Procedural Justice, Recognition Justice, Environmental Sociology, Sustainable Development, South Asia
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.13 No.11,
November
14,
2025
ABSTRACT: The accelerating global transition toward renewable energy has cast hydropower as a cornerstone of green development. Yet, in nations like Nepal, the drive for hydropower expansion in ecologically and culturally sensitive areas inhabited by indigenous peoples poses ethical and environmental dilemmas. This paper critically evaluates the hydropower boom in Nepal through the lens of environmental justice, focusing on the Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project (UTKHP) in Dolakha District. Anchored in social science perspectives on distributive, procedural, and recognition justice, and informed by eco-justice and environmentalism-of-the-poor frameworks this study examines how hydropower development transforms landscapes, livelihoods, and local governance. The analysis reveals that hydropower, while symbolically green, often reproduces colonial and capitalist hierarchies that marginalize indigenous Tamang communities. Drawing upon the works of and complementary global literature, this paper argues that Nepal’s green-energy transition must be reimagined through an eco-justice lens that prioritizes inclusivity, cultural integrity, and equitable participation.