Rethinking the Links Between Energy Transitions and Democracy

Dear Colleagues,

Energy policies do not exist in a political vacuum. Why certain energy pathways are prioritized over others, who the energy policies benefit or hurt, why and how advocacy coalitions in support of and against energy policies are formed, and how the balance of power between those groups are shaped all depend on political interests, power, and institutions. Particular energy policies, in return, can influence the political trajectory in many countries. Because of the strategic importance of the energy sector and the high rents that it creates, control over the allocation and distribution of those rents shapes the balance of political power between governing elites, civil society, and business groups. More research needs to be done to flesh out these different power dynamics and institutional mechanisms at play.

The objective of this Special Issue is to examine and deepen our understanding of the complicated and symbiotic relationship between energy transitions and democracy. We welcome in-depth case studies or comparative analyses on the political determinants and consequences of energy policies. A vibrant debate on regime dynamics is especially relevant at a time when democratic backsliding and neo-authoritarian populism is becoming alarmingly prevalent around the world. As more leaders gain and stay in power using a combination of democratic institutions and authoritarian strategies to erode the democratic norms and checks and balances in their countries, the question becomes whether we are more or less likely to see a timely and effective transformation of the energy systems to avert the looming climate crisis. In other words, does the dismantling of fossil fuel–dominant systems require the deepening or suspension of democracy? And in the process of energy transitions, how do power dynamics and institutional configuration change in a society?

Dr. Oksan Bayulgen
Guest Editor

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• energy transition
• renewable energy
• fossil fuels
• energy policy
• democratization
• political interests
• political institutions