Contribution short abstract

In Western Catalonia, rural communities mobilized by Pobles Vius reclaim the right to say no to imposed extractivist “green” projects. The Declaració de Ponent defends territorial autonomy and envisions sustainability grounded in dignity, biodiversity, and environmental justice.

Contribution long abstract

The right to say no has emerged as a powerful concept within environmental justice struggles, especially in contexts of extractivism and imposed development. It refers to the collective refusal of communities to accept projects that threaten their territories, livelihoods, and ways of life, and is increasingly recognized as a form of self-determination and resistance to environmental violence. In the Ponent region (Western Catalonia), communities are mobilizing against extractivist and speculative macro-projects—biogas plants, solar farms, logistics hubs—imposed without meaningful consultation. These projects, often framed as green transitions, are legitimized by centralized decision-making and strategic declarations that bypass democratic debate. In response, the grassroots platform Pobles Vius has articulated a collective stance through the Declaració de Ponent, reclaiming the right to say no as a form of territorial defense and environmental justice. This communication draws on participatory action research conducted within Pobles Vius, combining ethnographic fieldwork, workshops, and mobilizations. It explores how rural communities resist being turned into energy colonies and waste repositories, and how they reimagine autonomy. The right to say no is not merely oppositional—it is generative, enabling alternative futures rooted in dignity, biodiversity, and interdependence. By centering the voices of small-scale farmers, village residents, and the diverse grassroots organizations that endorsed the Declaració de Ponent, this research challenges dominant narratives of rural backwardness and highlights the epistemic violence embedded in top-down green policies. It argues that refusal is a legitimate and necessary response to environmental injustice, and that rural resistance offers valuable insights for rethinking sustainability beyond technocratic paradigms.