Local communities are increasingly voicing their grievances in scenarios where ecological, social, and political crises converge; thus, environmental conflicts (EC) are multiplying across the globe. The complexity of EC challenges the disciplinary boundaries that continue to define much of academia. EC emerge not only from biophysical and socio-political conditions but also from contested interpretations of socio-economic realities, divergent understandings of nature, and shifting perceptions of the ‘other’. Taking the example of Latin America, this chapter examines the historical and regional inequalities at the root of EC, the nature of local resistances, and the discourses through which these conflicts are communicated, addressed, and situated. It then explores key historical and contemporary theoretical currents that shape critical perspectives on EC today, including ecological Marxism, political ecology, Latin American environmental thought, and decolonial theory. By presenting these approaches—deeply rooted in Latin America’s Indigenous worldviews, ancestral knowledge, colonial history, and the dynamism of its social movements—we advocate for the integration of critical socio-ecological perspectives into the conceptualisation, methodology, and analysis of EC, with an emphasis on inter- and trans-disciplinary research. This approach repositions EC not merely as problems to be resolved but as catalysts for reimagining and transforming human–ecosystem relationships.