The analysis took the form of a perspective paper. That is, based on empirical data, it presents an analysis of current issues and formulates theses for discussion. The main thesis of the article is that the increase in energy inequality will hinder the process of green energy transition. In addition, the article points to the need for further research into the phenomenon of energy inequality.
Klitkou A., Pluciński P., Baranowski M., Otto I. (2023). Calling energy inequalities into the transition agenda. Energy Research & Social Science, Volume 101, July 2023, 103144. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2023.103144
Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2021 and the energy crisis it triggered have intensified the already difficult challenges of energy transition and climate policies. They have also provoked questions about how they will affect the energy transition. Various scenarios are being considered in this aspect, from the hypothesis of accelerating the transition through investments in green energy to its obstruction due to the increased use of fossil fuels.
However, both in the academic literature and in public discussions around the problems cited, attention is paid far less to the energy inequalities that are becoming increasingly apparent. They can be observed both between individuals and households experiencing the crisis, as well as between countries. The article analyses three dimensions of energy inequality related to the spike in energy prices and the consequences of rising living costs, the intensifying competition for scarce minerals necessary to realize the green transition, and the responses in the form of anti-crisis energy policies. The thesis is that increasing energy inequality will hinder the green energy transition.
Three specific cases of energy transitions—Norway, Germany, and Poland—are investigated. These countries, on the one hand, represent different socio-economic systems and energy regimes and face different challenges. Despite these differences, the outbreak of war demonstrates the need for a common political agenda to avoid negative repercussions, such as crises of social cohesion or threats to achieving the goals of the green transition.
