Pub Date : 2025-12-04DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2025.104481
Diyi Liu , Xiangyu Liu , Suntong Qi , Yang Yang
The widespread adoption of distributed rooftop photovoltaic (PV) systems in rural China remains a pressing challenge in the post-subsidy phase of the country's energy transition. This study integrates Construal Level Theory with peer influence perspectives to investigate how kinship ties (“blood”) and geographic proximity (“soil”) jointly shape household PV adoption decisions. Using a novel “kinship–spatial” factorial design and survey data from 2240 households in Jizhou District, Tianjin, the study isolates the causal effects of both dimensions. The results show that while geographic proximity significantly increases adoption willingness, kinship proximity has an even stronger effect—recommendations from relatives or clan members boost adoption likelihood by over 25 %. Moreover, the interaction between the two is synergistic: households embedded in both dense kinship networks and geographically proximate clusters are far more likely to adopt PV systems. These findings underscore the pivotal role of kinship-embedded social dynamics in driving renewable energy diffusion and suggest that policies leveraging both clan-based trust and neighborhood visibility could substantially accelerate the rural energy transition.
{"title":"Blood and soil: How kinship and geographic proximity drive rooftop photovoltaic adoption in rural China","authors":"Diyi Liu , Xiangyu Liu , Suntong Qi , Yang Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.erss.2025.104481","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.erss.2025.104481","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The widespread adoption of distributed rooftop photovoltaic (PV) systems in rural China remains a pressing challenge in the post-subsidy phase of the country's energy transition. This study integrates Construal Level Theory with peer influence perspectives to investigate how kinship ties (“blood”) and geographic proximity (“soil”) jointly shape household PV adoption decisions. Using a novel “kinship–spatial” factorial design and survey data from 2240 households in Jizhou District, Tianjin, the study isolates the causal effects of both dimensions. The results show that while geographic proximity significantly increases adoption willingness, kinship proximity has an even stronger effect—recommendations from relatives or clan members boost adoption likelihood by over 25 %. Moreover, the interaction between the two is synergistic: households embedded in both dense kinship networks and geographically proximate clusters are far more likely to adopt PV systems. These findings underscore the pivotal role of kinship-embedded social dynamics in driving renewable energy diffusion and suggest that policies leveraging both clan-based trust and neighborhood visibility could substantially accelerate the rural energy transition.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48384,"journal":{"name":"Energy Research & Social Science","volume":"131 ","pages":"Article 104481"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145685459","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 : 2025-12-03DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2025.104478
Loïc De Weerdt , Kristopher L. Nichols , Elke U. Weber
The Appalachian Region stands at a crucial socioeconomic juncture. As the surrounding country prepares for a rapid energy transition, much of the region’s cultural and economic capital remains deeply invested in the coal industry. In this paper, we investigate the economic and socio-cultural impact of wind projects in West Virginia, a state with decades long cultural and economic capital in coal, but robust geographical potential for a clean energy industry. Through a mixed-methods approach, we analyze socioeconomic data from the U.S. Census and Bureau of Labor Statistics (2008–2020) and survey WV residents to compare the empirical and perceived impacts of these energy sectors. Fixed effects regression models estimate the effects of coal mining and wind energy on unemployment, per capita income, and poverty rates. Results reveal that coal mining, despite reducing unemployment in the short term, is associated with lower per capita income and heightened poverty rates. In contrast, when modeling energy employment according to literature, it has a weaker impact on unemployment but holds long-term potential for economic diversification. These results are not pecific to West Virginia (WV). Contrary to these results, survey respondents demonstrate a persistent bias in favor of coal, overestimating its positive economic impact while perceiving wind energy as a less effective job creator. This discrepancy between empirical data and subjective perceptions reflect the long standing dominance of coal in WV’s political economy and the unique difficulties of the energy transition in this region. The political, psychological, and cultural implications of transitioning a WV economy with a deep cultural heritage of fossil fuels towards sustainable energy solutions are discussed.
{"title":"Can wind energy help West Virginia off its coal-mining addiction?","authors":"Loïc De Weerdt , Kristopher L. Nichols , Elke U. Weber","doi":"10.1016/j.erss.2025.104478","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.erss.2025.104478","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Appalachian Region stands at a crucial socioeconomic juncture. As the surrounding country prepares for a rapid energy transition, much of the region’s cultural and economic capital remains deeply invested in the coal industry. In this paper, we investigate the economic and socio-cultural impact of wind projects in West Virginia, a state with decades long cultural and economic capital in coal, but robust geographical potential for a clean energy industry. Through a mixed-methods approach, we analyze socioeconomic data from the U.S. Census and Bureau of Labor Statistics (2008–2020) and survey WV residents to compare the empirical and perceived impacts of these energy sectors. Fixed effects regression models estimate the effects of coal mining and wind energy on unemployment, per capita income, and poverty rates. Results reveal that coal mining, despite reducing unemployment in the short term, is associated with lower per capita income and heightened poverty rates. In contrast, when modeling energy employment according to literature, it has a weaker impact on unemployment but holds long-term potential for economic diversification. These results are not pecific to West Virginia (WV). Contrary to these results, survey respondents demonstrate a persistent bias in favor of coal, overestimating its positive economic impact while perceiving wind energy as a less effective job creator. This discrepancy between empirical data and subjective perceptions reflect the long standing dominance of coal in WV’s political economy and the unique difficulties of the energy transition in this region. The political, psychological, and cultural implications of transitioning a WV economy with a deep cultural heritage of fossil fuels towards sustainable energy solutions are discussed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48384,"journal":{"name":"Energy Research & Social Science","volume":"131 ","pages":"Article 104478"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145685454","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 : 2025-12-03DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2025.104487
Rasmus Karlsson
Biogenic hydrocarbons occupy a central place in transition narratives across multiple sectors, from transport and energy to chemicals and consumer goods. Yet their inherent scarcity creates unavoidable dilemmas of prioritization. This article examines aviation as a case study of these dilemmas. While the industry has tied its hopes for decarbonization to biofuels, their large-scale use risks crowding out other sectors, undermining both climate and biodiversity goals. To guide policymakers, the article proposes three evaluative principles – global scalability, transformational leverage, and ability-to-pay – arguing that aviation is uniquely positioned to accelerate investment in synthetic electrofuels derived from carbon capture. Such fuels offer compatibility with existing infrastructure while simultaneously commercializing technologies that are essential for achieving net-negative emissions. By situating aviation within wider ethical and political debates, the article suggests that, with democratic steering, the sector could shift from climate villain to driver of globally meaningful climate action.
{"title":"Biofuel bottlenecks and synthetic fuels: Leveraging aviation for global climate action","authors":"Rasmus Karlsson","doi":"10.1016/j.erss.2025.104487","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.erss.2025.104487","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Biogenic hydrocarbons occupy a central place in transition narratives across multiple sectors, from transport and energy to chemicals and consumer goods. Yet their inherent scarcity creates unavoidable dilemmas of prioritization. This article examines aviation as a case study of these dilemmas. While the industry has tied its hopes for decarbonization to biofuels, their large-scale use risks crowding out other sectors, undermining both climate and biodiversity goals. To guide policymakers, the article proposes three evaluative principles – global scalability, transformational leverage, and ability-to-pay – arguing that aviation is uniquely positioned to accelerate investment in synthetic electrofuels derived from carbon capture. Such fuels offer compatibility with existing infrastructure while simultaneously commercializing technologies that are essential for achieving net-negative emissions. By situating aviation within wider ethical and political debates, the article suggests that, with democratic steering, the sector could shift from climate villain to driver of globally meaningful climate action.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48384,"journal":{"name":"Energy Research & Social Science","volume":"131 ","pages":"Article 104487"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145685444","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 : 2025-12-03DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2025.104474
Duc D. Vu , Akhtar Hussain , Duc-Minh Vu , Xiao Zhang , Van-Hai Bui
Demand response (DR) programs help electricity systems balance supply and demand by encouraging consumers to adjust their usage in response to price signals or incentives. As population growth, urbanization, and the electrification of transportation and industry continue to increase energy needs, flexible and effective DR programs have become increasingly important. However, consumer participation remains difficult to secure because individuals are influenced by a range of cognitive factors that shape how they perceive and respond to DR incentives. In this paper, we identify five broad categories of cognitive influences that systematically affect consumer decision-making in DR settings. For each category, we provide representative examples from DR programs and review the relevant literature. We then develop a conceptual framework linking consumer engagement, cognitive influences, and socioeconomic factors, and propose unified strategies for integrating behavioral interventions at each stage of the DR engagement process. These strategies aim not only to strengthen consumer participation but also to enhance the overall effectiveness of DR programs. By deepening our understanding of how behavioral factors shape consumer responses, this review offers actionable insights for practitioners, policymakers, and researchers seeking to design DR interventions that improve energy system performance while promoting efficiency and sustainable consumption habits.
{"title":"Designing effective demand response: A review of behavioral insights, consumer engagement, and operational strategies in energy systems","authors":"Duc D. Vu , Akhtar Hussain , Duc-Minh Vu , Xiao Zhang , Van-Hai Bui","doi":"10.1016/j.erss.2025.104474","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.erss.2025.104474","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Demand response (DR) programs help electricity systems balance supply and demand by encouraging consumers to adjust their usage in response to price signals or incentives. As population growth, urbanization, and the electrification of transportation and industry continue to increase energy needs, flexible and effective DR programs have become increasingly important. However, consumer participation remains difficult to secure because individuals are influenced by a range of cognitive factors that shape how they perceive and respond to DR incentives. In this paper, we identify five broad categories of cognitive influences that systematically affect consumer decision-making in DR settings. For each category, we provide representative examples from DR programs and review the relevant literature. We then develop a conceptual framework linking consumer engagement, cognitive influences, and socioeconomic factors, and propose unified strategies for integrating behavioral interventions at each stage of the DR engagement process. These strategies aim not only to strengthen consumer participation but also to enhance the overall effectiveness of DR programs. By deepening our understanding of how behavioral factors shape consumer responses, this review offers actionable insights for practitioners, policymakers, and researchers seeking to design DR interventions that improve energy system performance while promoting efficiency and sustainable consumption habits.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48384,"journal":{"name":"Energy Research & Social Science","volume":"131 ","pages":"Article 104474"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145685449","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 : 2025-12-03DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2025.104476
Tommy Chagnon-Lessard , Jean Rouleau , Louis Gosselin , Geneviève Cloutier
Isolated and remote Indigenous communities of the Arctic are going through an energy transition that has several special features, shaped by the local and national context and self-determination aspirations. As of today, the opposing and congruent positions, visions, and experiences of the different organizations involved in the energy transition remain unclear, complicating the elaboration of adapted policies. In this work, 24 persons from 15 organizations related to the energy supply chain in Nunavik (northern region of the province of Quebec, Canada, inhabited by Inuit) were interviewed. Despite varying levels of optimism regarding the decarbonization of Nunavik, everyone considered the energy transition necessary. Participants revealed several motivations such as increasing energy security, fighting climate change, promoting self-determination, and improving health and wellbeing. Different doubts and preferences regarding how to decarbonize electricity production, space heating and transportation were shared by participants. The main challenges to the energy transition include the climatic and geographical context of Nunavik, lack of financial support, and current regulations and governance. Some energy injustices tied to policies from the South were noted, such as the challenge of finding parts and personnel to maintain oil furnaces banned from the rest of the province. The necessity to position Inuit communities as the cornerstone of the transition was expressed by all. The transition is seen as a unique opportunity to promote self-determination and raise energy awareness. Finally, participants formulated research priority avenues. In particular, ways to determine the overall costs of energy activities (including on health, environment, etc.) are greatly needed.
{"title":"“It's time for the community to really get off the ground”: Insights of key actors on energy transition in Nunavik Inuit communities","authors":"Tommy Chagnon-Lessard , Jean Rouleau , Louis Gosselin , Geneviève Cloutier","doi":"10.1016/j.erss.2025.104476","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.erss.2025.104476","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Isolated and remote Indigenous communities of the Arctic are going through an energy transition that has several special features, shaped by the local and national context and self-determination aspirations. As of today, the opposing and congruent positions, visions, and experiences of the different organizations involved in the energy transition remain unclear, complicating the elaboration of adapted policies. In this work, 24 persons from 15 organizations related to the energy supply chain in Nunavik (northern region of the province of Quebec, Canada, inhabited by Inuit) were interviewed. Despite varying levels of optimism regarding the decarbonization of Nunavik, everyone considered the energy transition necessary. Participants revealed several motivations such as increasing energy security, fighting climate change, promoting self-determination, and improving health and wellbeing. Different doubts and preferences regarding how to decarbonize electricity production, space heating and transportation were shared by participants. The main challenges to the energy transition include the climatic and geographical context of Nunavik, lack of financial support, and current regulations and governance. Some energy injustices tied to policies from the South were noted, such as the challenge of finding parts and personnel to maintain oil furnaces banned from the rest of the province. The necessity to position Inuit communities as the cornerstone of the transition was expressed by all. The transition is seen as a unique opportunity to promote self-determination and raise energy awareness. Finally, participants formulated research priority avenues. In particular, ways to determine the overall costs of energy activities (including on health, environment, etc.) are greatly needed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48384,"journal":{"name":"Energy Research & Social Science","volume":"131 ","pages":"Article 104476"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145685453","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 : 2025-12-02DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2025.104473
Alexandra Revez , Evan Boyle , Anne Goarzin , Edmond Byrne , Jesse D. Peterson , Fionn Rogan , Claire Connolly , Aoife Deane , James Cuffe , Roman Le Goff Latimier , Caitríona Ó Dochartaigh , David Espes , Brian Ó Gallachóir
The current discourse on interconnectors primarily centers on the technical and economic aspects necessary for delivering a stable grid infrastructure powered by renewable sources and for integrating energy markets. This article, therefore, explores opportunities to broaden definitions of energy grid interconnectivity beyond the techno-economic sphere. It considers multidisciplinary perspectives and presents novel exploratory viewpoints from the social sciences and humanities. It examines ideas of interconnection by drawing on the Celtic Interconnector, an Irish-French initiative, to explore the cultural, historical, political, and geographical dimensions of interconnectivity. Insights are derived from two workshops with academics in Ireland and France, encouraging a more contextual understanding of energy interconnections beyond their physical and economic dimensions. The article builds on these insights to set out an agenda for future research and reflect on frames of reference for describing, analysing, and engaging with emerging interconnector processes and the multiple stakeholders involved.
{"title":"New directions for interconnector research: drawing from social sciences and humanities perspectives to explore the Celtic Interconnector","authors":"Alexandra Revez , Evan Boyle , Anne Goarzin , Edmond Byrne , Jesse D. Peterson , Fionn Rogan , Claire Connolly , Aoife Deane , James Cuffe , Roman Le Goff Latimier , Caitríona Ó Dochartaigh , David Espes , Brian Ó Gallachóir","doi":"10.1016/j.erss.2025.104473","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.erss.2025.104473","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The current discourse on interconnectors primarily centers on the technical and economic aspects necessary for delivering a stable grid infrastructure powered by renewable sources and for integrating energy markets. This article, therefore, explores opportunities to broaden definitions of energy grid interconnectivity beyond the techno-economic sphere. It considers multidisciplinary perspectives and presents novel exploratory viewpoints from the social sciences and humanities. It examines ideas of interconnection by drawing on the Celtic Interconnector, an Irish-French initiative, to explore the cultural, historical, political, and geographical dimensions of interconnectivity. Insights are derived from two workshops with academics in Ireland and France, encouraging a more contextual understanding of energy interconnections beyond their physical and economic dimensions. The article builds on these insights to set out an agenda for future research and reflect on frames of reference for describing, analysing, and engaging with emerging interconnector processes and the multiple stakeholders involved.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48384,"journal":{"name":"Energy Research & Social Science","volume":"131 ","pages":"Article 104473"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145685458","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 : 2025-12-02DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2025.104477
Jan Osička, Anton Pushko
This paper examines the role of rent-seeking in shaping the early development of Ukraine's renewable energy sector. While renewable energy is often portrayed as a clean break from the fossil-fuel-dominated past, its implementation in Ukraine has been deeply entangled with longstanding patterns of corruption and oligarchic influence. Drawing on Ukraine's broader post-Soviet political economy, the paper traces how the renewable sector, introduced in the late 2000s, was quickly absorbed into a system marked by institutional weakness and state capture. The analysis shows that public resources intended to support sustainable development were instead funneled into private hands, following paths long established in the country's fossil fuel industries. Understanding these structural distortions is crucial for shaping future energy reforms, particularly as Ukraine prepares for the massive task of post-war reconstruction. As international donors, financial institutions, and private investors mobilize to rebuild Ukraine's energy infrastructure, the risk of repeating past mistakes remains high unless governance frameworks are strengthened and anti-corruption measures rigorously enforced. Beyond Ukraine, the case offers broader insights into how rent-seeking can distort the goals and outcomes of energy transitions in other high-subsidy sectors. These risks are especially pronounced in contexts marked by weak institutions, fragmented regulation, or geopolitical volatility, where public investments are easily captured by entrenched interests. As governments worldwide expand support for clean energy under industrial and security agendas, Ukraine's experience underscores the importance of embedding structural safeguards against corruption at every stage of the transition.
{"title":"From public goals to private gains: Rent-seeking and corruption in the development of renewable energy in Ukraine","authors":"Jan Osička, Anton Pushko","doi":"10.1016/j.erss.2025.104477","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.erss.2025.104477","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper examines the role of rent-seeking in shaping the early development of Ukraine's renewable energy sector. While renewable energy is often portrayed as a clean break from the fossil-fuel-dominated past, its implementation in Ukraine has been deeply entangled with longstanding patterns of corruption and oligarchic influence. Drawing on Ukraine's broader post-Soviet political economy, the paper traces how the renewable sector, introduced in the late 2000s, was quickly absorbed into a system marked by institutional weakness and state capture. The analysis shows that public resources intended to support sustainable development were instead funneled into private hands, following paths long established in the country's fossil fuel industries. Understanding these structural distortions is crucial for shaping future energy reforms, particularly as Ukraine prepares for the massive task of post-war reconstruction. As international donors, financial institutions, and private investors mobilize to rebuild Ukraine's energy infrastructure, the risk of repeating past mistakes remains high unless governance frameworks are strengthened and anti-corruption measures rigorously enforced. Beyond Ukraine, the case offers broader insights into how rent-seeking can distort the goals and outcomes of energy transitions in other high-subsidy sectors. These risks are especially pronounced in contexts marked by weak institutions, fragmented regulation, or geopolitical volatility, where public investments are easily captured by entrenched interests. As governments worldwide expand support for clean energy under industrial and security agendas, Ukraine's experience underscores the importance of embedding structural safeguards against corruption at every stage of the transition.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48384,"journal":{"name":"Energy Research & Social Science","volume":"131 ","pages":"Article 104477"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145685456","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 : 2025-12-02DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2025.104468
Jasmine Chakravarty , Björn Wickenberg , Kes McCormick
Climate neutrality of cities has emerged as a critical goal for sustainable urban development. This is typified by the mission in the European Union (EU) to achieve 100 climate neutral and smart cities by 2030. The idea of carbon or climate neutrality holds diverse interpretations. This paper investigates the dominant socio-technical imaginary for urban climate neutrality within the context of the EU Cities Mission, focusing on the cities of Stockholm and Amsterdam. Through narrative analysis of interviews and documents six key narratives are identified: 1) sustainable mobility and transport, 2) community engagement and just transition, 3) frontrunners in urban climate action, 4) the city as an experiment, 5) green economy and business innovation, and 6) the city as a complex system. This paper sheds light on the overlaps and contradictions between the narratives, suggesting opportunities for integrated policies centred on justice, leadership and experimentation. The analysis also reveals contrasting perspectives on the 2030 goal – namely an optimistic approach in the case of Stockholm and a pragmatic approach in the case of Amsterdam.
{"title":"Optimism and pragmatism in mission cities: Exploring narratives for climate neutrality in Stockholm and Amsterdam","authors":"Jasmine Chakravarty , Björn Wickenberg , Kes McCormick","doi":"10.1016/j.erss.2025.104468","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.erss.2025.104468","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Climate neutrality of cities has emerged as a critical goal for sustainable urban development. This is typified by the mission in the European Union (EU) to achieve 100 climate neutral and smart cities by 2030. The idea of carbon or climate neutrality holds diverse interpretations. This paper investigates the dominant socio-technical imaginary for urban climate neutrality within the context of the EU Cities Mission, focusing on the cities of Stockholm and Amsterdam. Through narrative analysis of interviews and documents six key narratives are identified: 1) sustainable mobility and transport, 2) community engagement and just transition, 3) frontrunners in urban climate action, 4) the city as an experiment, 5) green economy and business innovation, and 6) the city as a complex system. This paper sheds light on the overlaps and contradictions between the narratives, suggesting opportunities for integrated policies centred on justice, leadership and experimentation. The analysis also reveals contrasting perspectives on the 2030 goal – namely an optimistic approach in the case of Stockholm and a pragmatic approach in the case of Amsterdam.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48384,"journal":{"name":"Energy Research & Social Science","volume":"131 ","pages":"Article 104468"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145685362","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 : 2025-12-01DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2025.104463
Emily Key , Dirk Oudes , Kate Sherren
Large-scale solar (LSS) facilities, also called solar farms, are increasingly being built as part of the national transition to renewable energy. LSS can have landscape impacts that concern rural residents and cause community pushback. This paper identifies rural residents' views about integrating LSS into rural landscapes of Nova Scotia, Canada, a province new to LSS where community pushback has already occurred. We do not focus on whether LSS should happen, but how it should happen. Employing Q methodology with semi-structured interviews, 18 rural residents expressed their views by ranking 40 statements related to landscape impacts of LSS. Two distinct views emerged: LSS should either be (1) integrated and embraced in, or (2) isolated and hidden from, everyday rural landscapes. Strong consensus was identified around mitigating harm to local natural environments. The two views inhabit opposite poles of some common debates in landscape transition, including in environmental social science: landscape-technology fit versus misfit, climax versus non-equilibrium thinking, and land sparing versus sharing. We examine the implications of the one point of consensus, two views and three axes of landscape debate for large-scale solar development and associated public engagement processes. Practical contributions include prompts and cautions for discussions about LSS with the potentially affected local community, research domains to deepen understanding of local perspectives and increase technical options, and insight to inform LSS designers and landscape architects seeking to advance sustainable LSS development.
{"title":"Integrate and embrace or isolate and hide? Using Q-method to understand how to incorporate large-scale solar in rural Nova Scotia, Canada","authors":"Emily Key , Dirk Oudes , Kate Sherren","doi":"10.1016/j.erss.2025.104463","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.erss.2025.104463","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Large-scale solar (LSS) facilities, also called solar farms, are increasingly being built as part of the national transition to renewable energy. LSS can have landscape impacts that concern rural residents and cause community pushback. This paper identifies rural residents' views about integrating LSS into rural landscapes of Nova Scotia, Canada, a province new to LSS where community pushback has already occurred. We do not focus on whether LSS should happen, but how it should happen. Employing Q methodology with semi-structured interviews, 18 rural residents expressed their views by ranking 40 statements related to landscape impacts of LSS. Two distinct views emerged: LSS should either be (1) integrated and embraced in, or (2) isolated and hidden from, everyday rural landscapes. Strong consensus was identified around mitigating harm to local natural environments. The two views inhabit opposite poles of some common debates in landscape transition, including in environmental social science: landscape-technology fit versus misfit, climax versus non-equilibrium thinking, and land sparing versus sharing. We examine the implications of the one point of consensus, two views and three axes of landscape debate for large-scale solar development and associated public engagement processes. Practical contributions include prompts and cautions for discussions about LSS with the potentially affected local community, research domains to deepen understanding of local perspectives and increase technical options, and insight to inform LSS designers and landscape architects seeking to advance sustainable LSS development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48384,"journal":{"name":"Energy Research & Social Science","volume":"130 ","pages":"Article 104463"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145623653","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 : 2025-12-01DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2025.104469
Katherine Mahoney , Rita Lopes , João Pedro Gouveia
Current policy trajectories integrate energy poverty into decarbonisation policy agendas; the links between energy poverty, building efficiency, and energy prices justify this approach. Energy poverty, however, is a multidimensional condition which intersects several policy sectors. This paper employs a participatory systems mapping method to develop a Causal Loop Diagram depicting the Portuguese energy poverty system. Thirty-five participants were engaged in a multi-stage workshop to elicit expert perceptions of the main solutions and challenges for local-scale energy poverty mitigation in Portugal. The results revealed key narratives that inform relevant policy approaches framing energy poverty within broader decarbonisation policies. These narratives exposed involuntary energy restriction behaviours and raised concerns about increased energy demand due to climate change. Citizen-led alternative energy models and building renovation were viewed as key solutions to energy poverty. Despite this, the social mechanisms which promoted citizen participation, including trust and energy literacy, were perceived as generally positive, with little emphasis on their potential limitations, suggesting a reduced focus on the social-behavioural aspects of participation. Discussions during the workshop revealed a lack of consensus among Portuguese stakeholders regarding current and future energy needs in the country. Additionally, the results exposed low engagement with the issue of energy disconnections at both the policy and civil society levels. The conclusions present policy and research recommendations for Portugal, centred on promoting inclusive approaches to citizen participation in energy transition activities.
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