Abstract
In this work we discuss how the energy transition is a multilevel challenge that must be conceptualized using the energy justice metric. From the Paris Agreement to the most recent European Union policies, energy justice is emerging as the leading energy principle that must guide and shape energy transition public policies. Adopting a comparative perspective, we see that governments are attempting to establish long- term energy policies, and they are beginning to recognize the opportunity to rewrite these objectives using the energy justice metric in order to identify problems and to propose potential solutions to make the energy transition fair and equitable. We discuss why the energy justice principle is important and the impact it can have on a just transition for the entire world.
Raphael James Heffron, Professor of Energy Justice and the Social Contract & EU Jean Monnet Professor in the Just Transition to a Low-Carbon Economy.
Luigi Maria Pepe, PhD at Università degli Studi della Campania Luigi Vanvitelli. Lecturing in Comparative Constitutional Law and Environmental Law and Security.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
- 1.
World Energy Trilemma Index 2020 (worldenergy.org, 2020) https://www.worldenergy.org/assets/downloads/World_Energy_Trilemma_Index_2020_-_REPORT.pdf, accessed 24 February 2021.
- 2.
- 3.
Pérez et al. (2019).
- 4.
Legrand (1996), pp. 234 ss.
- 5.
Cordini et al. (2017).
- 6.
Frosini (2019).
- 7.
1992 Rio Declaration on Environment and Development adopted 14 June 1992.
- 8.
1997 The Kyoto Protocol (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change).
- 9.
Boer (2019).
- 10.
Vasconcelos (2017), p. 22.
- 11.
Manga (2018), pp. 309–338.
- 12.
Conference of the Parties (COP) (unfcc.int) https://unfccc.int/process/bodies/supreme-bodies/conference-of-the-parties-cop, accessed 26 February 2021.
- 13.
Montini (2017), p. 179.
- 14.
Petteruti (2020), p. 256.
- 15.
Pepe (2020), p. 51.
- 16.
Ibid.
- 17.
Pepe (2019), p. 9.
- 18.
Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan for France (ec.europa.eu, March 2020) https://ec.europa.eu/energy/sites/ener/files/documents/fr_final_necp_main_en.pdf, accessed 25 February 2021.
- 19.
Colella (2019).
- 20.
The 13th Act amending the Atomic Energy Act (Atomgesetz—AtG) adopted on 30 June 2011.
- 21.
Haas (2019), pp. 200–210.
- 22.
Reusswig et al. (2016), pp. 214–227.
- 23.
The costs of nuclear phase-out in Germany (Toulouse School of Economy, 19 February 2020) https://www.tse-fr.eu/costs-nuclear-phase-out-germany, accessed 26 February 2021.
- 24.
Van Boxstael et al. (2020), pp. 466–484.
- 25.
Ibid.
- 26.
Sorman et al. (2020).
- 27.
Ibid.
- 28.
Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan for Spain 2021–2030 (20 January 2020) https://ec.europa.eu/energy/sites/ener/files/documents/es_final_necp_main_en.pdf, accessed 26 February 2021.
- 29.
Pepe (2021).
- 30.
S. Tagliapietra, The European climate law needs a strong just transition fund, (2020) Bruegel-Blogs, accessed 26 February 2021.
- 31.
Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Just Transition Fund (ec.europe.eu, January2020) file:///C:/Downloads/Proposal_for_a_regulation_establishing_the_Just_Transition_Fund_and_annexes_EN.pdf.pdf, accessed 26 February 2021.
- 32.
Ibid.
- 33.
Cameron et al. (2020).
- 34.
Claeys et al. (2019).
- 35.
Claeys and Sapir (2018).
- 36.
Loock (2020).
- 37.
Mengelkamp et al. (2018), pp. 870–880.
- 38.
Ibid.
- 39.
Jenkins et al. (2016), pp. 174–182.
- 40.
McCauley et al. (2013), p. 3.
- 41.
Sovacool et al. (2016), p. 5.
- 42.
Jenkins et al. (2016).
- 43.
Walker (2009), pp. 614–636.
- 44.
Ibid.
- 45.
Heffron and McCauley (2014), pp. 435–437.
- 46.
Heffron (2020), pp. 855–863.
- 47.
Ibid.
- 48.
Kumm (2009), p. 69.
- 49.
Nordhaus (2016).
References
Boer B (2019) International environmental law. In: Chesterman S, Owada H, Saul B (eds) The Oxford handbook of international law in Asia and the Pacific. Oxford
Cameron A, Claeys G, Midões C, Tagliapietra S (2020) How good is the European Commission’s Just Transition Fund proposal? Bruegel-Policy Contribution, 4
Claeys G, Sapir A (2018) The European Globalisation Adjustment Fund: easing the pain from trade? Bruegel-Policy Contribution, 5
Claeys G, Tagliapietra S, Zachmann G (2019) How to make the European Green Deal work. Bruegel-Policy Contribution, 13
Colella L (2019) Energia nucleare ed emergenze ambientali. Rivista ambiente e diritto, 3
Cordini G, Fois P, Marchisio S, Ambientale D (2017) Profili internazionali europei e comparati. Giappichelli
Frosini TE (2019) Diritto pubblico comparato. Le democrazie stabilizzate, Il Mulino
Haas T (2019) Comparing energy transitions in Germany and Spain using a political economy perspective. Environ Innov Soc Trans 31:200–210
Heffron RJ (2020) The role of justice in develo** critical minerals. Extract Ind Soc 7:855–863
Heffron RJ (2021a) Energy law: an introduction, 2nd edn. Springer
Heffron RJ (2021b) In: Pepe LM (ed) L’Energia attraverso il diritto. Editoriale Scientifica
Heffron RJ, McCauley D (2014) Achieving sustainable supply chains through energy justice. Appl Energy 123:435–437
Jenkins K, Heffron RJ et al (2016) Energy justice: a conceptual review. Energy Res Soc Sci 11:174–182
Kumm M (2009) The cosmopolitan turn in constitutionalism: on the relationship between constitutionalism in and beyond the state. In: Dunoff JL, Trachtman JP (eds) In ruling the world? Constitutionalism, international law, and global, p 69
Legrand P (1996) How to compare now. Leg Stud, 16
Loock M (2020) Unlocking the value of digitalization for the European energy transition: a typology of innovative business models. Energy Res Soc Sci, 69
Manga SJT (2018) Post-Paris Climate Agreement UNFCCC COP-21: perspectives on international environmental governance. Afr J Int Comp Law 26(3):309–338
McCauley DA et al (2013) Advancing energy justice: the triumvirate of tenets. Int Energy Law Rev 32:3
Mengelkamp E, Gärttner J, Rock K, Kessler S, Orsini L, Weinhardt C (2018) Designing microgrid energy markets: a case study: the Brooklyn Microgrid. Appl Energy 210:870–880
Montini M (2017) Riflessioni critiche sull’Accordo di Parigi sui cambiamenti climatici. Rivista di Diritto Internazionale 3:179
Nordhaus WD (2016) Projections and uncertainties about climate change in an era of minimal climate policies. National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper No. 22933, Cambridge
Pepe V (2019) Energia Nucleare, ambiente e democrazia: Italia e Francia a confronto. Federalismi (Rivista diritto pubblico italiano comparato ed europeo) 2:9
Pepe LM (2020) Reflections on comparative oil and gas law: new convergences of public and private rights. Quaderni Amministrativi 4:51
Pepe LM (2021) Il diritto dell’energia fondato su principi. La transizione ecologica come giustizia energetica. Rivista ambiente e diritto, 3
Pérez M, Scholten D, Stegen KS (2019) The multi-speed energy transition in Europe: opportunities and challenges for EU energy security. Energy Strat Rev 26
Petteruti C (2020) Il Diritto dell’Ambiente e dell’Energia. Profili di comparazione. Edizioni Scientifiche Italiane, p 256
Reusswig F, Braun F, Heger I, Ludewig T, Eichenauer E, Lass W (2016) Against the wind: local opposition to the German Energiewende. Utilities Policy 41:214–227
Sorman AH, García-Muros X, Pizarro-Irizar C, González-Eguino M (2020) Lost (and found) in transition: expert stakeholder insights on low-carbon energy transitions in Spain. Energy Res Soc Sci, 64
Sovacool BK, Heffron RJ et al (2016) Energy decisions reframed as justice and ethical concerns. Nat Energy 1:5
Van Boxstael A, Meijer LLJ, Huijben JCCM, Romme AGL (2020) Intermediating the energy transition across spatial boundaries: cases of Sweden and Spain. Environ Innov Soc Trans 31:466–484
Vasconcelos J (2017) Il ruolo dell’efficienza energetica nell’ambito della transizione energetica europea. In: Biandrino P, De Focatiis M (eds) Efficienza energetica ed efficienza del sistema dell’energia. Un nuovo modello? Cedam
Walker G (2009) Beyond distribution and proximity: exploring the multiple spatialities of environmental justice. Antipode 41(4):614–636
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Heffron, R.J., Pepe, L.M. (2023). Beyond the Energy Transition and Towards a Just Transition. In: Gromek-Broc, K. (eds) Regional Approaches to the Energy Transition. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-19358-3_5
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-19358-3_5
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-031-19357-6
Online ISBN: 978-3-031-19358-3
eBook Packages: Law and CriminologyLaw and Criminology (R0)