https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/225348/1/VV_Brauers_2020_Political%20Economy-Coal.pdf

The political economy of coal in Poland: Drivers and barriers for a shift away from fossil fuels

‘Energy democracy’ has evolved from a slogan used by activists demanding a greater say in energy-related decision-making to a term used in policy documents and scholarly literature on energy governance and energy transitions. This article reviews the academic literature using a combination of three methodological elements: (1) keyword searches of major bibliographical databases for quantification purposes; (2) an innovative method referred to as ‘circulation tracing’ to assess impact; and (3) in-depth discussion of the theoretical underpinnings, implications and interconnections of different parts of the literature. A conceptual framework is developed around three divergent understandings of the term ‘energy democracy’: (1) a process driven forwards by a popular movement; (2) an outcome of decarbonisation; and (3) a goal or ideal to which stakeholders aspire. The review also highlights some weaknesses of the literature: fragmentation between its European and American branches, which barely relate to each other; implicit or absent linkages between ‘energy democracy’ and broader theories of democracy; a tendency to idealise societal grassroots; confusion about the roles of the state, private capital and communities; and lack of attention to the threat posed by energy populism. Proponents should not assume that more energy democracy will inherently mean faster decarbonisation, improved energy access or social wellbeing. Finally, more emphasis should be placed on the role of research in providing evidence to ground energy democracy-related analyses and discussions.

Energy democracy as a process, an outcome and a goal: A conceptual review

Far from being a univocal process, energy transitions involve several pathways and require research that connects multiple theoretical, disciplinary and methodological perspectives. The European scenario is a clear example of how the boundaries and the direction of such process are difficultly identifiable and merged with culturally situated meanings and practices. In this opening paper, drawing on a psychosocial background, we propose a cultural approach as an attempt to overcome the dichotomies between technical and human, social and individual accounts of energy transitions. In this framework, we illustrate the two main axes that guided this collection of research: a situated perspective, and a focus on different planes of transition (individual, community, societal). Then, we present the European scenario and introduce the contributions, which propose a large variety of epistemological perspectives, and theoretical, methodological and disciplinary integrations. We conclude with a commentary of the main challenges to be addressed in order to develop a shared scientific paradigm: the need for further integration towards shared interpretative frameworks, the quest for a constructive and future-oriented research attitude, the importance of connecting different planes of analysis to foresee alternative scenarios, and the need for proposals and solutions to be addressed to decision makers.

One, no one, one hundred thousand energy transitions in Europe: The quest for a cultural approach

1. The Battlefront 2. Dangerous Stories 3. Noisome Neighbors 4. From Deliberation to Dialogue 5. Responsible Refiners 6. Passive Revolution and Resistance

Refining Expertise : How Responsible Engineers Subvert Environmental Justice Challenges

A critical review of discursive approaches in energy transitions

In this article we assess public communication on nuclear energy in Poland against four theoretical ideal types of the public sphere in modern democracies. We investigate law, media discourse, and civil society as dimensions of the public sphere, and use the analysis to draw out broader implications for energy transitions. We conclude that although in the legal and civil society realms there are some elements of the participatory liberal type, the current functioning of the public sphere is rather aligned with the representative liberal democracy type and does not further energy transition. The representative liberal type is supported by mainstream media, focused mainly on economic and political elites. This is why initiatives of grassroots movements are not reflected in public discourse, neither in traditional media nor on the Internet. Even if they appear, their impact is limited because of weak exposition. Our research offers reflections on how energy transition may be furthered via the public sphere. The article brings a sociological and socio-legal analysis of the public sphere to energy policy research. By presenting the unique case of potential new nuclear power plant build in Poland, we contribute an integrative view of energy policy as a public governance issue in contemporary Central and East European democracies.

Is energy policy a public issue? Nuclear power in Poland and implications for energy transitions in Central and East Europe

The need to regulate environmental problems is of ever-increasing urgency. Yet the complexity of environmental dynamics challenges any regulatory scheme. We use this essay to describe and assess some of these challenges. We deploy the terms scope and scale as analytic tools in this effort. We define and elaborate on these terms and then use them to analyze three especially critical dilemmas in environmental regulation: the fit between environmental dynamics and legal categories, the relationship between legal and nonlegal dynamics in structuring human impacts on the environment, and the relationship between environmental law and environmental justice.

Tiffany Grobelski

Papers

Is energy policy a public issue? Nuclear power in Poland and implications for energy transitions in Central and East Europe

The Regulation of Environmental Space

Dis/Order and the Regulation of Urban Space