How can the energy transition produce positive effects on social equity in rural and urban contexts?

A consortium led by the Urban Futures Studio aims to illuminate how the transition from fossil to renewable energy can be leveraged to address the Sustainable Development Goals, specifically SDG7 (transition to renewables) and, while doing so, deliver on SDG5 & SDG10 (reducing inequalities) and SDG16 (inclusive and just institutions). The consortium, consisting of leading institutions from South Africa, Germany and India (see research team below), investigates how investments in the energy transition can improve on social equity in diverse rural and urban contexts.

An unjust transition? 

Climate change and rising social inequality are two of the biggest challenges of our time. The ‘energy transition’ from fossil to renewable energy will be a key determinant of “who gets what, when, and how” (Lasswell, 1936). We argue that the infrastructures for renewable energy may, in principle, ameliorate inequalities resulting from carbon economies. However, recent evidence suggests these potentials are not fully exploited. Indeed, it suggests that incumbent interests are rapidly gaining control over infrastructure investments and thereby negatively affecting the social equity agenda. Therefore we argue that an unjust transition is distinctly possible.

The software of policy regimes

ReSET compares four case studies: Germany, India, the Netherlands and South Africa. We analyse how the energy transition can produce more social equity. In each country context we are interested in understanding how the software in the form of policy regimes, determines the flow of investments in the hardware of energy infrastructures. Together with diverse stakeholders, we aim to develop a framework and concrete insights that can inform future policies.

In each country, the project will look at alternative pockets in urban and rural areas where renewable energy development is connected to a social equity agenda. In these ReSET alternatives it looks at different actors - municipalities, entrepreneurs, development banks, social movements, and others - how these actors are enabled and constrained by policy frameworks.

Agents of change 

During our research we aim to build up a community of practice and communicate findings as the project proceeds. In each country we collaborate with stakeholders like citizens cooperatives, municipalities, social movements, investors and entrepreneurs. Special attention is paid to internationally operating development banks, whom we see as key agents of change. 
 

• prof. dr. Maarten Hajer

This hub addresses one of the big open question within Deep Decarbonization of the Energy System, namely the decarbonization of Industry. The energy transition is well underway and gathering pace as far as electric renewables and electrification are concerned. However, it is still unclear how industry will deal with the carbon it needs for fuel and feedstock, when total CO2 (and other GHG) emissions must be brought down to zero around mid-century to meet the Paris target. It will even be necessary for Industry to deliver negative emissions, to offset unavoidable emissions in other sectors. How to achieve this transformation in the decades to come is the challenge that this Hub takes on.

It does so on the understanding that technical options abound, but are in aggregate insufficient or unattractive, warranting the study of new options. Within the hub programme we focus on two promising options: biofuels options with negative emissions, and the use of the subsurface to achieve negative emissions.  

Against the backdrop of this evolving landscape of existing and new technical options, society has to create the conditions under which the required investment decisions can be made now. This involves creating new infrastructure, regulatory frameworks and governance structures that reduce the long-term non-technical risk that now prevents industry to invest. 

This hub brings together a broad group of researchers with an equally broad group from industry, government and civil society. We aim to develop a shared understanding and a shared narrative of how to deliver this the energy transition in industry. The focus will be on the Netherlands. This regional specificity is crucial to answer the central question of industry transformation. But as one small, open and industrialized economy, the results will have relevance for industry transitions globally. "Towards Industry with Negative Emissions"

• prof. dr. Gert Jan Kramer
• prof. dr. Chris Spiers
• prof. mr. Marleen van Rijswick
• prof. dr. P.C.A. (Pieter) Bruijnincx
• drs. ing. Udeke Huiskamp MBA
• prof. dr. Ernst Worrell