Pub Date : 2026-02-01Epub Date: 2026-01-16DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2025.104526
Rabea Scholz , Johan Lilliestam
As the energy transition picks up pace, the side effects of energy policies are gaining political prominence. In recent years, the costs and, especially, the distributive effects of energy policy have climbed the political agenda, with debates increasingly focusing on the justice effects alongside the effectiveness of policy measures. Here, we explore the role of justice arguments in parliamentary energy policy debates and how they have affected legislation even before they affect the population. We do this for two cases of German energy policy by observing how parliamentarians debate the distributive justice effects of energy transition measures and tracing how their arguments affected legislation. We show that parliamentary debates, especially the more intense and controversial ones, featured strong use of justice arguments, and that both laws subsequently changed along the lines of several of those arguments. Simultaneously, we observe that debates were, in part, symbolic, signaling opposition rather than truly seeking to affect the laws. We conclude that justice-based argumentation is common and strong in parliamentary debates on energy policy, and that these arguments do affect legislation.
{"title":"Justice in the spotlight: Do parliamentary debates shape Germany's energy transition?","authors":"Rabea Scholz , Johan Lilliestam","doi":"10.1016/j.erss.2025.104526","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.erss.2025.104526","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As the energy transition picks up pace, the side effects of energy policies are gaining political prominence. In recent years, the costs and, especially, the distributive effects of energy policy have climbed the political agenda, with debates increasingly focusing on the justice effects alongside the effectiveness of policy measures. Here, we explore the role of justice arguments in parliamentary energy policy debates and how they have affected legislation even before they affect the population. We do this for two cases of German energy policy by observing how parliamentarians debate the distributive justice effects of energy transition measures and tracing how their arguments affected legislation. We show that parliamentary debates, especially the more intense and controversial ones, featured strong use of justice arguments, and that both laws subsequently changed along the lines of several of those arguments. Simultaneously, we observe that debates were, in part, symbolic, signaling opposition rather than truly seeking to affect the laws. We conclude that justice-based argumentation is common and strong in parliamentary debates on energy policy, and that these arguments do affect legislation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48384,"journal":{"name":"Energy Research & Social Science","volume":"132 ","pages":"Article 104526"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145981398","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Thirty years after the first UN conference of parties on global climate change (COP1), the global energy sector remains reliant on fossil fuels, with low- to zero-emission power sources struggling to take the lead in most national markets. Despite the sustained growth of solar and wind energy technologies (SWET) being confirmed in 2023, carbon emissions and climate constraints continue to rise, suggesting that a pathway toward net-zero emissions remains complex. Our analysis uses innovation diffusion models to offer an up-to-date perspective of the current co-evolution of SWET against its main fossil competitors, namely coal and natural gas energy technologies (CGET), across the 75 largest energy-consuming countries. Our model-based evidence suggests that the energy transition struggles in crowding-out traditional fossil fuels and therefore is hardly identifiable as a worldwide trend. Important achievements remain highly localized to only a few regions worldwide suggesting an uneven process, with still many barriers and needing public support as well as international cooperation. Model-based forward projections suggest that most countries will likely achieve the SWET-to-CGET parity well beyond the energy milestone of 2030. Current war scenarios, local crises and the declarations (as well as actions) of the new US administration about US energy policy, bring substantial uncertainty on the global perspectives.
{"title":"Racing against the clock: Modeling the global transition to renewable energy technologies","authors":"Alessandro Bessi , Mariangela Guidolin , Piero Manfredi","doi":"10.1016/j.erss.2026.104541","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.erss.2026.104541","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Thirty years after the first UN conference of parties on global climate change (COP1), the global energy sector remains reliant on fossil fuels, with low- to zero-emission power sources struggling to take the lead in most national markets. Despite the sustained growth of solar and wind energy technologies (SWET) being confirmed in 2023, carbon emissions and climate constraints continue to rise, suggesting that a pathway toward net-zero emissions remains complex. Our analysis uses innovation diffusion models to offer an up-to-date perspective of the current co-evolution of SWET against its main fossil competitors, namely coal and natural gas energy technologies (CGET), across the 75 largest energy-consuming countries. Our model-based evidence suggests that the energy transition struggles in crowding-out traditional fossil fuels and therefore is hardly identifiable as a worldwide trend. Important achievements remain highly localized to only a few regions worldwide suggesting an uneven process, with still many barriers and needing public support as well as international cooperation. Model-based forward projections suggest that most countries will likely achieve the SWET-to-CGET parity well beyond the energy milestone of 2030. Current war scenarios, local crises and the declarations (as well as actions) of the new US administration about US energy policy, bring substantial uncertainty on the global perspectives.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48384,"journal":{"name":"Energy Research & Social Science","volume":"132 ","pages":"Article 104541"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146039110","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-01Epub Date: 2026-01-28DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2026.104561
Zhuohan Xie, Dan van der Horst, Matthew Lane
Understanding how multiple socio-technical systems transform in tandem has become an important frontier in sustainability transitions research. While the multi-level perspective has evolved into the multi-system perspective to conceptualise cross-system co-evolution, current studies largely overlook the relational micro-dynamics through which coordination and learning are enacted. To address this gap, this paper integrates experimental governance with the multi-system perspective to investigate how local experimentation can drive both single-system transitions and multi-system alignment. Drawing on policy analysis and 22 semi-structured interviews, we examine the Zhangjiakou wind-to-heat pilot in northern China, where wind power, district heating, electricity trading and emerging digital sectors became increasingly interconnected. Our analysis identifies a five-phase transition trajectory: dual-system coupling, incumbent system transition, emerging system reform, multi-system interaction, and diffusion effects. Our results show that experiments can become coordination infrastructures that temporarily bridge fragmented governance structures, enabling heterogeneous actors to build trust, co-produce knowledge, and adapt strategies through negotiation and iterative learning. These micro-level processes actively construct cross-system linkages, allowing local experiments to evolve into institutional arrangements that support regional low-carbon industrial diversification and economic upgrading. This study contributes to transition theory by grounding the micro-foundations of multi-system transitions and showing how experimentation can help overcome fragmented governance structures by enabling state-orchestrated coordination.
{"title":"From wind curtailment to decarbonising urban heat: Experimental governance and multi-system innovation in Zhangjiakou","authors":"Zhuohan Xie, Dan van der Horst, Matthew Lane","doi":"10.1016/j.erss.2026.104561","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.erss.2026.104561","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Understanding how multiple socio-technical systems transform in tandem has become an important frontier in sustainability transitions research. While the multi-level perspective has evolved into the multi-system perspective to conceptualise cross-system co-evolution, current studies largely overlook the relational micro-dynamics through which coordination and learning are enacted. To address this gap, this paper integrates experimental governance with the multi-system perspective to investigate how local experimentation can drive both single-system transitions and multi-system alignment. Drawing on policy analysis and 22 semi-structured interviews, we examine the Zhangjiakou wind-to-heat pilot in northern China, where wind power, district heating, electricity trading and emerging digital sectors became increasingly interconnected. Our analysis identifies a five-phase transition trajectory: dual-system coupling, incumbent system transition, emerging system reform, multi-system interaction, and diffusion effects. Our results show that experiments can become coordination infrastructures that temporarily bridge fragmented governance structures, enabling heterogeneous actors to build trust, co-produce knowledge, and adapt strategies through negotiation and iterative learning. These micro-level processes actively construct cross-system linkages, allowing local experiments to evolve into institutional arrangements that support regional low-carbon industrial diversification and economic upgrading. This study contributes to transition theory by grounding the micro-foundations of multi-system transitions and showing how experimentation can help overcome fragmented governance structures by enabling state-orchestrated coordination.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48384,"journal":{"name":"Energy Research & Social Science","volume":"132 ","pages":"Article 104561"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146079435","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-01Epub Date: 2026-01-27DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2026.104558
Mareike Tippe
The life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology is a well-established tool to assess the environmental impacts of products, services, and technologies. Despite of its standardization, the methodology lacks guidance and formalization for the consideration of behavioral effects impacting the energy consumption related to the usage of technologies. As digital and smart technologies are supposed to play a major role in the energy transition, a consideration of these effects is crucial for the comprehensive assessment of environmental impacts caused by these technologies. In order to address the lack of formalized approaches for the integration of behavioral effects into LCA studies, a qualitative interview study with experts from the social sciences and LCA practice was set up, identifying challenges and chances for the interdisciplinary alignment of the LCA methodology with social scientific approaches. On the basis of the content analysis, the study highlights barriers for the transfer of knowledge between the disciplines and offers insights on challenges faced by practitioners (e.g. lack of time and financing resources or skepticism experienced by peers). Social scientific perspectives and recommendations expressed by the researchers were aligned with the standardized steps of an LCA, providing insights on possible contributions of the social scientific methods to a more comprehensive assessment of environmental impacts caused by energy-using technologies. The interdisciplinary study thereby connects methodological and empirical insights from research practice, enabling the understanding of socio-technical and socio-environmental dependencies in order to assess environmental impacts of energy using technologies in a comprehensive way.
{"title":"From context to operationalization: Exploring chances for the integration of social scientific perspectives in life cycle assessments of energy technologies","authors":"Mareike Tippe","doi":"10.1016/j.erss.2026.104558","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.erss.2026.104558","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology is a well-established tool to assess the environmental impacts of products, services, and technologies. Despite of its standardization, the methodology lacks guidance and formalization for the consideration of behavioral effects impacting the energy consumption related to the usage of technologies. As digital and smart technologies are supposed to play a major role in the energy transition, a consideration of these effects is crucial for the comprehensive assessment of environmental impacts caused by these technologies. In order to address the lack of formalized approaches for the integration of behavioral effects into LCA studies, a qualitative interview study with experts from the social sciences and LCA practice was set up, identifying challenges and chances for the interdisciplinary alignment of the LCA methodology with social scientific approaches. On the basis of the content analysis, the study highlights barriers for the transfer of knowledge between the disciplines and offers insights on challenges faced by practitioners (e.g. lack of time and financing resources or skepticism experienced by peers). Social scientific perspectives and recommendations expressed by the researchers were aligned with the standardized steps of an LCA, providing insights on possible contributions of the social scientific methods to a more comprehensive assessment of environmental impacts caused by energy-using technologies. The interdisciplinary study thereby connects methodological and empirical insights from research practice, enabling the understanding of socio-technical and socio-environmental dependencies in order to assess environmental impacts of energy using technologies in a comprehensive way.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48384,"journal":{"name":"Energy Research & Social Science","volume":"132 ","pages":"Article 104558"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146078828","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-01Epub Date: 2026-01-15DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2026.104543
Fernando Moreno-Brieva , José David Romero-Puente
The global transition toward cleaner energy systems has positioned hydrogen- and lithium battery–based technologies as key enablers of sustainable transport. However, their comparative innovation dynamics remain poorly understood, as studies of this kind have been scarce, despite the strategic importance of both energy carriers for the decarbonization of mobility, industrial competitiveness, and long-term energy security. By examining both technologies within a unified analytical framework, this study offers novel comparative evidence on how organizational leadership and inventor mobility jointly shape their technological trajectories. To address this gap, the study conducts a quantitative patent-based analysis of innovation outcomes in hydrogen- and lithium–battery–powered transport, emphasizing the role of leading organizations in shaping these trajectories. Using data from the European Patent Office for 2010–2022, the study applies two complementary indicators to assess technological leadership, specialization, and inventor mobility as mechanisms of knowledge diffusion. The results show that leadership in both technologies is concentrated among firms headquartered in Germany, China, South Korea, Japan, and the United States, with marked differences across technological classes and subclasses. Moreover, the study shows that knowledge diffusion occurs primarily through the mobility of inventors across organizations, suggesting that human capital flows are a key driver of clean-technology transfer. The study concludes by outlining three plausible future scenarios—dominated respectively by lithium batteries, by hydrogen, or by their coexistence—and discusses their implications for sustainable innovation and for the long-term evolution of clean transport systems.
{"title":"From invention to mobility and from niches to global races: Organizational leadership in hydrogen- and lithium-powered transport","authors":"Fernando Moreno-Brieva , José David Romero-Puente","doi":"10.1016/j.erss.2026.104543","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.erss.2026.104543","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The global transition toward cleaner energy systems has positioned hydrogen- and lithium battery–based technologies as key enablers of sustainable transport. However, their comparative innovation dynamics remain poorly understood, as studies of this kind have been scarce, despite the strategic importance of both energy carriers for the decarbonization of mobility, industrial competitiveness, and long-term energy security. By examining both technologies within a unified analytical framework, this study offers novel comparative evidence on how organizational leadership and inventor mobility jointly shape their technological trajectories. To address this gap, the study conducts a quantitative patent-based analysis of innovation outcomes in hydrogen- and lithium–battery–powered transport, emphasizing the role of leading organizations in shaping these trajectories. Using data from the European Patent Office for 2010–2022, the study applies two complementary indicators to assess technological leadership, specialization, and inventor mobility as mechanisms of knowledge diffusion. The results show that leadership in both technologies is concentrated among firms headquartered in Germany, China, South Korea, Japan, and the United States, with marked differences across technological classes and subclasses. Moreover, the study shows that knowledge diffusion occurs primarily through the mobility of inventors across organizations, suggesting that human capital flows are a key driver of clean-technology transfer. The study concludes by outlining three plausible future scenarios—dominated respectively by lithium batteries, by hydrogen, or by their coexistence—and discusses their implications for sustainable innovation and for the long-term evolution of clean transport systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48384,"journal":{"name":"Energy Research & Social Science","volume":"132 ","pages":"Article 104543"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145981397","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-01Epub Date: 2026-01-15DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2026.104542
Mauricio Böhl Gutierrez
The phase-out of fossil fuel subsidies is politically sensitive and often contested, particularly in countries where fuel subsidies form an integral part of the social contract between the state and society. This paper analyses Colombia's phase-out of diesel subsidies through a qualitative case study, drawing on 32 interviews with stakeholders from government, transport, business, academia, and civil society.
Using the social contract as an analytical framework, the study examines actors' perceptions of the phase-out process, with a specific focus on the government's responsibilities under the 3Ps of the social contract (Provision, Participation and Protection) in replacing diesel subsidies. Stakeholders from the passenger and freight transport subsectors view subsidies as an essential Provision within the social contract, particularly in a context of perceived institutional inefficiency and low trust in the government capacity. The government's offer to substitute diesel subsidies with alternative Provisions, such as new technologies in the long term, conflicts with the immediate Protection challenges faced by the sector. To phase out subsidies, the government would need to address the sector's priorities to build trust in its vision for a structural reform and to tackle deep-rooted, structural vulnerabilities in the subsectors that exacerbate dependence on fossil fuels. The study also reveals clientelist structures in Colombia, raising questions about the extent to which other societal groups are involved in the process (Participation) and would require support through mitigation policies (Provision). The study highlights trust-building, inclusive consultation, and structural sector reforms as critical factors in securing public support for subsidy phase-outs.
{"title":"Phasing out diesel subsidies in Colombia: A social contract perspective on stakeholder consultations","authors":"Mauricio Böhl Gutierrez","doi":"10.1016/j.erss.2026.104542","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.erss.2026.104542","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The phase-out of fossil fuel subsidies is politically sensitive and often contested, particularly in countries where fuel subsidies form an integral part of the social contract between the state and society. This paper analyses Colombia's phase-out of diesel subsidies through a qualitative case study, drawing on 32 interviews with stakeholders from government, transport, business, academia, and civil society.</div><div>Using the social contract as an analytical framework, the study examines actors' perceptions of the phase-out process, with a specific focus on the government's responsibilities under the 3Ps of the social contract (Provision, Participation and Protection) in replacing diesel subsidies. Stakeholders from the passenger and freight transport subsectors view subsidies as an essential Provision within the social contract, particularly in a context of perceived institutional inefficiency and low trust in the government capacity. The government's offer to substitute diesel subsidies with alternative Provisions, such as new technologies in the long term, conflicts with the immediate Protection challenges faced by the sector. To phase out subsidies, the government would need to address the sector's priorities to build trust in its vision for a structural reform and to tackle deep-rooted, structural vulnerabilities in the subsectors that exacerbate dependence on fossil fuels. The study also reveals clientelist structures in Colombia, raising questions about the extent to which other societal groups are involved in the process (Participation) and would require support through mitigation policies (Provision). The study highlights trust-building, inclusive consultation, and structural sector reforms as critical factors in securing public support for subsidy phase-outs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48384,"journal":{"name":"Energy Research & Social Science","volume":"132 ","pages":"Article 104542"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145981337","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-01Epub Date: 2026-01-15DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2026.104538
Olivia Coldrey , Philip LaRocco , Paul Lant , David Allan
Despite the clear health, socioeconomic and climate benefits of cooking with clean fuels, many people in low- and middle-income countries are unable to do so. Women and girls experience the effects of cooking poverty most acutely. This paper explores the nexus of clean cooking, gender and finance by investigating how the financial sector can be used as a lever of change to support a gender-responsive clean cooking transition. Expert interviews with funders, gender advisors, entrepreneurs and multilateral organisations reveal a system in which institutions do not treat women as socially, culturally or financially equal to men when it comes to eradicating cooking poverty. Nor do they recognise inherent differences in outlook and risk appetite between genders, or that credit assessments often rely on rigid criteria that can disproportionately exclude women. This results in a lack of visibility, agency and influence for women in policy and funding processes that affect them, and limited access to financial resources. Our research findings suggest a roster of institutional and societal reforms that, if enacted, could lead to substantial progress in advancing a gender-just clean cooking transition. We call attention to public banks as influential institutions with mandates to address structural barriers to socioeconomic development. By mainstreaming gender in their funding operations, taking a proactive approach to women's financial inclusion, and nurturing a more gender-responsive financing ecosystem, public banks can contribute significantly to eradicating cooking poverty, reducing gender-based discrimination and improving women's livelihoods.
{"title":"What women want: Financing a gender-responsive clean cooking transition","authors":"Olivia Coldrey , Philip LaRocco , Paul Lant , David Allan","doi":"10.1016/j.erss.2026.104538","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.erss.2026.104538","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Despite the clear health, socioeconomic and climate benefits of cooking with clean fuels, many people in low- and middle-income countries are unable to do so. Women and girls experience the effects of cooking poverty most acutely. This paper explores the nexus of clean cooking, gender and finance by investigating how the financial sector can be used as a lever of change to support a gender-responsive clean cooking transition. Expert interviews with funders, gender advisors, entrepreneurs and multilateral organisations reveal a system in which institutions do not treat women as socially, culturally or financially equal to men when it comes to eradicating cooking poverty. Nor do they recognise inherent differences in outlook and risk appetite between genders, or that credit assessments often rely on rigid criteria that can disproportionately exclude women. This results in a lack of visibility, agency and influence for women in policy and funding processes that affect them, and limited access to financial resources. Our research findings suggest a roster of institutional and societal reforms that, if enacted, could lead to substantial progress in advancing a gender-just clean cooking transition. We call attention to public banks as influential institutions with mandates to address structural barriers to socioeconomic development. By mainstreaming gender in their funding operations, taking a proactive approach to women's financial inclusion, and nurturing a more gender-responsive financing ecosystem, public banks can contribute significantly to eradicating cooking poverty, reducing gender-based discrimination and improving women's livelihoods.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48384,"journal":{"name":"Energy Research & Social Science","volume":"132 ","pages":"Article 104538"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145981395","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-01DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2026.104557
Vigya Sharma , Julia Loginova
Indigenous co-ownership of renewable energy projects is increasingly proposed as a tangible pathway towards economic reconciliation, enabling Indigenous communities to assert sovereignty over their lands and land use decision-making. This is despite limited empirical understanding of the value of Indigenous co-ownership, how and where it exists, and what its on-the-ground influence may be in advancing Indigenous self-determination and economic resilience. To address this gap, this paper offers a first-of-its-kind foundational, evidence-based knowledge of the state of play on Indigenous co-ownership of large renewable energy projects. We present an original dataset, comprising 61 projects carefully curated to establish a much-needed global baseline on the spatial and temporal trends and patterns across technology, project size, development stage and equity share. Overall, we find evidence of growth in the number of renewable energy projects with Indigenous equity over the last three decades across four jurisdictions. Most projects in Canada (mainly wind) and New Zealand (geothermal) are operational, while many in Australia (mostly solar) and the US (transmission) are in the planning stages. Indigenous equity shares range from 3.2% to full ownership, with minority ownership the most prevalent. Our findings contribute insights into the emerging modes of Indigenous peoples' engagement with the low-carbon energy development globally. As an open-access project registry, it provides the necessary evidence to shape further critical deliberations on the role of co-ownership in the energy transition as a value proposition for First Nations communities. The paper concludes with areas requiring further research, including the need for contextually nuanced grounded assessments of how co-ownership or equity shares may influence Indigenous groups' engagement with renewable energy developments on their lands.
{"title":"How are Indigenous groups participating in large renewable energy project co-ownership? Mapping global progress","authors":"Vigya Sharma , Julia Loginova","doi":"10.1016/j.erss.2026.104557","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.erss.2026.104557","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Indigenous co-ownership of renewable energy projects is increasingly proposed as a tangible pathway towards economic reconciliation, enabling Indigenous communities to assert sovereignty over their lands and land use decision-making. This is despite limited empirical understanding of the value of Indigenous co-ownership, how and where it exists, and what its on-the-ground influence may be in advancing Indigenous self-determination and economic resilience. To address this gap, this paper offers a first-of-its-kind foundational, evidence-based knowledge of the state of play on Indigenous co-ownership of large renewable energy projects. We present an original dataset, comprising 61 projects carefully curated to establish a much-needed global baseline on the spatial and temporal trends and patterns across technology, project size, development stage and equity share. Overall, we find evidence of growth in the number of renewable energy projects with Indigenous equity over the last three decades across four jurisdictions. Most projects in Canada (mainly wind) and New Zealand (geothermal) are operational, while many in Australia (mostly solar) and the US (transmission) are in the planning stages. Indigenous equity shares range from 3.2% to full ownership, with minority ownership the most prevalent. Our findings contribute insights into the emerging modes of Indigenous peoples' engagement with the low-carbon energy development globally. As an open-access project registry, it provides the necessary evidence to shape further critical deliberations on the role of co-ownership in the energy transition as a value proposition for First Nations communities. The paper concludes with areas requiring further research, including the need for contextually nuanced grounded assessments of how co-ownership or equity shares may influence Indigenous groups' engagement with renewable energy developments on their lands.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48384,"journal":{"name":"Energy Research & Social Science","volume":"132 ","pages":"Article 104557"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146189663","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-01Epub Date: 2026-02-02DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2026.104563
Marfuga Iskandarova , Joao M. Uratani , Dylan D. Furszyfer Del Rio , Steve Griffiths , Hans Jakob Walnum , Benjamin K. Sovacool
This paper examines industrial decarbonisation in Norway, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the United States using sectoral policy styles as a theoretical lens. These countries are major fossil fuel producers with significant renewable energy resources, technical expertise, and financial capabilities to implement decarbonisation, each also representing distinct political systems. It asks: What are the most salient features and instruments mobilised by policymakers and regulators in designing industrial decarbonisation policies in these countries? The study goes beyond notions of geography, destiny, and politics to closely analyse the coalescence of actors, institutions, and policy instruments shaping industrial decarbonisation in each country. While all three countries share similar ambitious climate targets, their policy styles and implementation approaches differ considerably. Norway's approach emphasises technological neutrality, carbon pricing, and collaborative policy development. The UAE's policy style is characterised by centralised decision-making, a strong emphasis on international engagement, and the leading role of government-owned anchor industries. The United States exhibits a more complex multi-level governance system, with significant variations across states, a reliance on market-based incentives, and a historically limited role for industrial planning. The findings suggest that national policy styles and regime characteristics strongly influence the implementation of industrial decarbonisation policies, despite the increasing convergence of policy formulation due to international agreements and the exchange of best practices. Acknowledging the persistent divergence in implementation due to unique national contexts and institutional settings contributes to a better understanding of the factors driving industrial decarbonisation and offers insights for effective policy design and implementation in different political and economic contexts.
{"title":"Beyond geography, destiny, and politics: Exploring policy styles for industrial decarbonisation in Norway, the United Arab Emirates and the United States","authors":"Marfuga Iskandarova , Joao M. Uratani , Dylan D. Furszyfer Del Rio , Steve Griffiths , Hans Jakob Walnum , Benjamin K. Sovacool","doi":"10.1016/j.erss.2026.104563","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.erss.2026.104563","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper examines industrial decarbonisation in Norway, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the United States using sectoral policy styles as a theoretical lens. These countries are major fossil fuel producers with significant renewable energy resources, technical expertise, and financial capabilities to implement decarbonisation, each also representing distinct political systems. It asks: What are the most salient features and instruments mobilised by policymakers and regulators in designing industrial decarbonisation policies in these countries? The study goes beyond notions of geography, destiny, and politics to closely analyse the coalescence of actors, institutions, and policy instruments shaping industrial decarbonisation in each country. While all three countries share similar ambitious climate targets, their policy styles and implementation approaches differ considerably. Norway's approach emphasises technological neutrality, carbon pricing, and collaborative policy development. The UAE's policy style is characterised by centralised decision-making, a strong emphasis on international engagement, and the leading role of government-owned anchor industries. The United States exhibits a more complex multi-level governance system, with significant variations across states, a reliance on market-based incentives, and a historically limited role for industrial planning. The findings suggest that national policy styles and regime characteristics strongly influence the implementation of industrial decarbonisation policies, despite the increasing convergence of policy formulation due to international agreements and the exchange of best practices. Acknowledging the persistent divergence in implementation due to unique national contexts and institutional settings contributes to a better understanding of the factors driving industrial decarbonisation and offers insights for effective policy design and implementation in different political and economic contexts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48384,"journal":{"name":"Energy Research & Social Science","volume":"132 ","pages":"Article 104563"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146189662","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-01Epub Date: 2026-01-22DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2026.104531
Mónika Rajcsányi-Molnár , István András , Márta Konczos Szombathelyi
The scope of the paper is the examination, comparison and analysis of the public perception of the nuclear energy and battery manufacturing sectors in Hungary with a focus on the role of public communication in the effectiveness of public acceptance. The study uses focus group discussions conducted in three cities in Hungary and analyses their results using thematic analysis. The study investigates the levels of knowledge of the respondents regarding the subject, their perceptions of sectoral benefits and risks, trust in various stakeholders, and the effect of public communication. These are revealed in eight coding frames, which provide a detailed map to the data on each research subtopic (dimensions, categories, subcategories, definitions, occurrence), while representative examples are provided in the Results. The study reveals complex knowledge levels on both investigated sectors, with nuclear energy seen as providing for energy safety and being good for the environment, whereas battery manufacturing was associated with economic profit and environmental pollution. Trust in the government and industry, as well as the credibility of the scientific community significantly differed between the two sectors. We can conclude that media communication and corporate public communication play a critical role in perception. Furthermore, to gain confidence in battery manufacturing, targeted sensitive sector frameworks should be used to address concerns and to emphasize benefits to the public.
{"title":"Public perceptions under the spotlight: The role of public communication in shaping acceptance and resistance towards nuclear energy and battery manufacturing in Hungary","authors":"Mónika Rajcsányi-Molnár , István András , Márta Konczos Szombathelyi","doi":"10.1016/j.erss.2026.104531","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.erss.2026.104531","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The scope of the paper is the examination, comparison and analysis of the public perception of the nuclear energy and battery manufacturing sectors in Hungary with a focus on the role of public communication in the effectiveness of public acceptance. The study uses focus group discussions conducted in three cities in Hungary and analyses their results using thematic analysis. The study investigates the levels of knowledge of the respondents regarding the subject, their perceptions of sectoral benefits and risks, trust in various stakeholders, and the effect of public communication. These are revealed in eight coding frames, which provide a detailed map to the data on each research subtopic (dimensions, categories, subcategories, definitions, occurrence), while representative examples are provided in the Results. The study reveals complex knowledge levels on both investigated sectors, with nuclear energy seen as providing for energy safety and being good for the environment, whereas battery manufacturing was associated with economic profit and environmental pollution. Trust in the government and industry, as well as the credibility of the scientific community significantly differed between the two sectors. We can conclude that media communication and corporate public communication play a critical role in perception. Furthermore, to gain confidence in battery manufacturing, targeted sensitive sector frameworks should be used to address concerns and to emphasize benefits to the public.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48384,"journal":{"name":"Energy Research & Social Science","volume":"132 ","pages":"Article 104531"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146039083","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
扫码关注我们
求助内容：
应助结果提醒方式：
京公网安备 11010802042870号