Power Shift (The Global Political Economy of Energy Transitions)

"Energy transitions are fundamental to achieving a zero-carbon economy. This book explains the urgently needed transition in energy systems from the perspective of the global political economy. It develops an historical, global, political and ecological account of key features of energy transitions: from their production and financing, to how they are governed and mobilised. Informed by direct engagement in projects of energy transition, the book provides an accessible account of the real-world dilemmas in accelerating transitions to a low carbon economy. As well as changes to technology, markets, institutions and behaviours, Power Shift shows that shifts in power relations between and within countries, and across social groups and political actors, are required if the world is to move onto a more sustainable path. Using contemporary and historical case studies to explore energy transitions, it will be of interest to students and researchers across disciplines, policymakers and activists."--Publisher's description "Chapter 1 Introduction: the Global Political Economy of Energy Transitions The question of whether and how we can collectively steer our economy and society onto a lower carbon development trajectory is among the most pressing the world currently faces. Runaway climate change threatens the very habitability of the earth: systematically undoing progress made in advancing the human condition and rendering impossible the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agreed in 2015. But despite rhetorical embrace of the concept and need for transition by governments, businesses and international organisations, critical applied analysis of what a dramatic shift in the structures of production and consumption and, more challengingly, the alignments of political and economic power that would be required to achieve and sustain a low or zero carbon economy would imply, is sorely lacking. The need for fundamental transformations in the way we produce, consume and distribute energy is glaringly obvious, despite painfully slow progress in the shift away from our fossil-fuel dominated world. A series of factors conspire to make the need for deeper transformations and nearer term energy transitions acute and urgent. Today's energy system is not fit for purpose on a number of grounds"-- Provided by publisher Energy transitions are fundamental to achieving a zero-carbon economy. This book provides a novel, interdisciplinary account of the politics of producing, financing, governing and mobilising energy system change. Using case studies from around the globe, it explores the historical, global, political and ecological features of energy transitions. Introduction -- Theorising energy transitions -- Producing energy transitions -- Financing energy transitions -- Governing energy transitions -- Mobilising energy transitions -- Conclusions