Who Benefits from the Transition? Environmental Justice and the Politics of Climate Governance in New Mexico,United States

Abstract

New Mexico’s Priority Climate Action Plan (2024) positions the state as a national leader in climate mitigation and energy transition under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grant framework. Yet questions remain about who truly benefits from this transition and how justice, power, and inclusion are embedded in the governance process. This article critically examines New Mexico’s climate governance through an environmental justice lens, exploring how state priorities align with equity commitments, community participation, and fair distribution of benefits and burdens. Drawing on a qualitative review of the plan, complementary policy documents, and current scholarship on just transitions, the analysis identifies both progress and persistent gaps. Although New Mexico integrates equity language and targets disadvantaged communities, implementation mechanisms remain uneven and vulnerable to political and economic influence. The article argues that realizing a just climate transition requires transparent decision-making, localized engagement, and long-term capacity building within frontline communities. By situating New Mexico’s approach within the broader U.S. discourse on environmental justice and state-led decarbonization, this review contributes to understanding how subnational climate policies can either reinforce or transform existing inequalities, offering insights for other states pursuing equitable climate action.