Who participates in and drives collective action initiatives for a low carbon energy transition?

August Wierling (), Jan Zeiss, Wit Hubert, Chiara Candelise (), Jay Sterling Gregg and Valeria Schwanitz ()
Additional contact information
August Wierling: Western Norway University of Applied Sciences
Jan Zeiss: Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, CERDI - Centre d'Études et de Recherches sur le Développement International - IRD - Institut de Recherche pour le Développement - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - UCA - Université Clermont Auvergne
Wit Hubert: UJ - Uniwersytet Jagielloński w Krakowie = Jagiellonian University = Université Jagellon de Cracovie
Chiara Candelise: Bocconi University [Milan, Italy], Imperial College London
Jay Sterling Gregg: DTU - Danmarks Tekniske Universitet = Technical University of Denmark
Valeria Schwanitz: Western Norway University of Applied Sciences

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Abstract: Broad acceptance by and support from the society for the sustainable energy transition is indispensable. Public participation and ownership - in particular through collective action initiatives - is seen as a means to foster this support. Starting with the origin of the cooperative model, we present how it has been evolving until today. We then discuss how energy CAIs are classified and discuss the legal underpinnings and how they related to democratic participation of the membership within CAIs. Statistical analysis with data from Sweden, Denmark, and Germany, questions whether they are as inclusive, just, and democratically controlled by their members as often deemed. We find that energy cooperatives are typically initiated by well-off, rural, male sexagenarians. The participation between women and men (including in decision-making) is below parity. Concluding, in practice, the mechanism of recruiting and engaging members falls behind the theoretic ideal of socially sustainable development. Although being a promising tool to curbing sustainability, current practices rather encompass a narrow perspective of sustainable development that is geared towards technological change. We conclude with a perspective of how this may be rectified in the future.

Date: 2020-03
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Published in Arnaud Diemer; Eduard Nedelciu; Marie Schellens; Manuel Morales; Maartje Oostdijk. Paradigms, Models, Scenarios and Practices for Strong Sustainability, 2020, 979-10-92495-13-3

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