LIST OF PANELS

In this panel, we aim to empirically explore the policies and processes by which governments at various levels aim to contribute to the energy transition and climate change mitigation. Three topics have our specific interest: the interplay between multiple levels of government, the mechanisms at work that enhance or hamper the formulation and implementation of policies and projects aiming to contribute to the energy transition, and the role of government(s) within these processes. We take a critical stance toward the ways governments design and implement policies to green energy systems. We focus at the institutional dimension and the use of power in decision-making (both in national policy making processes and local implementation projects). Both policies aimed at innovation and diffusion of alternative ‘green’ energy technologies are addressed as well as policies that lower harmful effects vis-à-vis energy production, use and emissions of greenhouse gases. Empirical papers on energy and climate change mitigation policies are welcomed. They can be either qualitative (case studies) or quantitative. We encourage use of policy theories, but also welcome papers using policy-oriented theoretical approaches from transition studies.  Comparative papers, comparing policy experiences in different regions or countries and comparing policy experiences in different sectors, are also welcomed.   With this panel we also aim to contribute to the further building of an international community studying issues of policy and governance in the field of energy transition and climate change mitigation, a field that is dominated by engineering sciences leaving the highly relevant governance issues understudied.  

Governments face an ‘energy trilemma’ following the confluence of economic, engineering and environmental constraints to energy production. Furthermore, while energy demand keeps rising, security of supply is threatened, while prices have become more volatile under influence of geopolitical tensions, uncertainty of accessibility of resources and changing market conditions. To address these problems governments are challenged to ‘green’ their economies. This concerns lowering greenhouse gas emissions (climate mitigation) and hence, limiting the use of ‘dirty’  energy from the fossil fuels. The process of greening energy systems is often referred to as the energy transition. Incentives for the energy transition are provided by multilateral agreements and national and supranational policy targets, such as the EU20-20-20 goals and the Renewable Energy Sources Directive. Bottom-up there are many citizen initiatives to jointly adopt renewable energy technologies, while local governments strive to be ‘energy neutral’ or ‘zero carbon’. To achieve these ambitions, concerted action between different actors in society is required.   Currently, many alternative strategies are available: reduction of energy demand, the use of renewable energy sources, and using energy more efficiently. In operational terms many benefits can be achieved from increasing the installed capacity of renewable energy generation plants, better coordination of energy supply and demand (e.g., by implementing ‘smart grids’), use of ‘smart’ (ICT) technologies, using heat residuals from industrial processes to heat housing, or changing spatial schemes to allow the establishment of large renewable energy plants, or implementing large governmental programs to improve thermal insulation of privately owned dwellings. Each of these strategies calls for decisions and behavioural change of different actors, including end-users, contributing to a coordination need.   Despite the benefits offered by these technologies, measures and practices, many barriers exist that block adoption. Policy strategies aimed at greening energy economies are often incoherent (e.g., policy foci change year by year, lack vision and sectorial policies are only aligned to a low extent), there is a high degree of institutional complexity, and energy infrastructure does not allow for innovative solutions. Not surprisingly, effectiveness of climate change mitigation and energy policies is limited, and it looks like the market for sustainable energy alternatives grows at a rather low pace. Nonetheless, awareness has risen in recent years and many local ‘green energy’ initiatives are on the agenda or have already been realized. For example, water boards develop ‘energy factories’, farmers join forces to collectively run green gas production and distribution plants and citizens are joining forces in 'energy collectives'.              The role of government in energy and climate change mitigation issues is ambiguous. On the one hand governments have a role in setting goals, norms and standards. On the other hand governments often lack the authority and competence to demand that societal and market parties achieve targets in terms of fixed rates of reduction in energy consumption and emission of greenhouse gases. Moreover, governments are searching for their role and leadership opportunities within the changing infrastructural, technological and institutional system of energy supply and demand.   With this panel, we aim to contribute to the knowledge and understanding of how processes of policy making and implementation enhance or hinder the energy transition and attempts at mitigating climate change. The role of specific actors within the changing network constellation of actors and institutions has our specific attention, as well as the causal mechanisms that make or break policy initiatives. These topics have been underaddressed; in this field, many studies focus on technologies or the effects of policies in terms of carbon reduction or renewable energy generated. We believe that governance aiming to enhance the energy transition and to mitigate climate change can benefit from the knowledge of policy scientists focusing on policies and implementation within changing technological and institutional environment.   The panel session is part of a research line undertaken by the research colloquium “Energy and Climate Goverance” (representing five Dutch universities) that is part of the Netherlands Institute for Government studies (NIG). The initiative was taken to create more attention to the domains of energy and climate change mitigation among scholars and students of policy studies, public administration and political science. So, far five panel sessions at academic conferences have been organized, and two special issues in academic journals were published. One special issue on “Governing the climate challenge and energy transition in cities”) has been published in Energy, Sustainability and Society (http://www.energsustainsoc.com/series/GCCE).