Natural resource industries and the state in collaborative approaches to water governance: a power-based analysis

Collaboration is predicated upon inclusive, equitable deliberation and decision-making amongst state, private and civil actors. Through pooling of knowledge and resources, participants are expected to share knowledge and to develop effective and mutually acceptable solutions to water problems. This approach is increasingly being used by governments to support and enable water governance at regional and watershed scales. However, the ability of collaboration to generate improved social and environmental outcomes can be undermined by power imbalances interacting at individual, watershed, state, and global scales. These imbalances are particularly apparent when natural resource industries participate in collaborative processes. Influential economic actors often have the capacity to exert influence at multiple scales in ways not available to most other actors. Industry actors are also systemically privileged in environmental policy-making due to the nature of dominant socioeconomic systems. The ways in which powerful natural resource industry actors use and affect collaborative approaches to water governance have not yet been satisfactorily explained and accounted for in the literature. More broadly, the role and function of power in general represents an incomplete area of understanding with respect to collaboration for water governance. The purpose of this thesis was to critically examine the roles of the state and industry in collaborative water governance processes through a power lens. The study pursued four specific objectives: (1) to develop a conceptual framework for examining power and its implications for collaborative approaches to water governance; (2) to apply this framework to determine the extent to which relationships of power are explicitly or implicitly identified and addressed in literature on collaborative approaches to water governance; (3) to empirically examine the positions of the state and industry in Canada with respect to power in collaboration for water governance, and; (4) to determine if, or under which conditions collaborative approaches to governance for water can achieve desired social and environmental outcomes. A systematic review was first used to examine the extent and quality of attention to power in literature on collaboration for water governance. Findings from the review revealed that the majority of literature examined did not fully recognize or account for power beyond more visible and obvious expressions. A cross case study analysis of two Canadian instances of collaboration – the Athabasca Watershed Council in Alberta, and the Thames-Sydenham and Region Source Protection Committee in Ontario – was then used to empirically examine the roles of the state and industry. The case studies allowed examination of the ways that power imbalances manifest at distinct state and process-level scales in situations defined by the presence of powerful natural resource industry firms. The cross-case analysis revealed that the state fundamentally shapes collaboration through power exerted external to the collaborative process. Findings also revealed that natural resource sector firms often do not need to participate in collaboration because they are able to achieve their policy goals through avenues of influence external to collaboration. The thesis reveals that power is not fully accounted for in current literature on collaborative approaches to water governance. Moreover, many of the issues disparately addressed by collaborative water governance scholars (e.g., inclusion, participation incentives, outcomes) can be organized into cohesive, transparent relationships by examining collaboration through power. The thesis also reveals that collaboration for water governance is fundamentally shaped by power exerted outside of collaborative processes, significantly at the agenda setting and policy selection stages. Finally, the study provides insight into the motivations of firms with respect to collaboration for water governance. These motivations are inconsistent with the presupposition that collaborative participants will commit to two-way influence, learning and communication. This challenges the ability of collaborative approaches to water governance to achieve the better social and environmental outcomes that often justify their use. While findings specifically address collaboration in Ontario and Alberta, they will be relevant to other instances of collaborative water governance, and collaborative environmental governance more broadly

Aiding or undermining? The military as an emergent actor in global climate governance

The military is emerging as an important actor in climate change mitigation and adaptation, particularly when it comes to responding to climate extremes. While not generally considered a “governance actor” in scholarship on climate governance, militaries increasingly participate in climate-related knowledge production, resource provision, and decision-making. However, the nature and degree of involvement of militaries in these issues vary from context to context, based on political, socio-cultural, institutional, and economic conditions. This Perspective examines this expanding role through the five Earth System Governance research lenses. We argue that it is necessary to more fully account for the emergence of this powerful actor within accepted democratic frameworks of climate governance. Key research questions relate to the implications of military involvement, the appropriateness of military involvement in different contexts, and the consequences of the involvement of an authoritarian actor for climate governance norms

Russia's war on Ukraine, European energy policy responses & implications for sustainable transformations

Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine sent shockwaves throughout Europe and has painfully exposed the continent's dependence on a geopolitical adversary. Energy is closely tied into the ongoing battle: Europe is committed to phasing out Russian fossil fuel imports, whilst Russia, in turn, has cut gas supplies to a number of countries and significantly reduced flows to others. Given historical tensions between delivering supply security and other social goals we analyse what energy policy responses to the crisis so far mean for: environmental sustainability, energy equity and social justice. In doing so, we reveal strong potential for an acceleration of clean energy supply across Europe, complications for fossil fuel phase out, negative knock-on effects for sustainable transitions in the Global South, significant implications for energy equity within and beyond Europe, and a relative return of the state as an energy actor. Reframing energy as a geopolitical security concern has, in acute crisis, tended to obfuscate and/or downplay other energy policy goals, raising a number of difficult questions for policymakers seeking to pursue lasting sustainable and equitable transitions

Many Actors Amongst Multiple Renewables: A Systematic Review of Actor Involvement in Complementarity of Renewable Energy Sources

Although complementarity achieved by combining multiple renewable energy sources (RES) is an important method to increase shares of RES, it is often overlooked in policy prescriptions supporting an energy transition. Complementarity can be implemented by multiple actors, however there has been little attention to which actors are involved, and their roles. We conducted a systematic review to provide an overview of the state of academic literature on the topic of combinations of multiple RES and the involvement of multiple associated actors. The sample included 78 articles using a range of methodologies to analyze varying combinations of wind, solar, bioenergy, hydro, geothermal, and ocean energy, alongside combinations of traditional, new, and supporting energy actors. Studies included contextualized (location specific) agent-based, techno-economic, economic, business model, and qualitative analyses, and decontextualized reviews, agent-based, and optimization models. Multi-actor complementarity is being addressed by diverse disciplines in diverse contexts globally, across a range of geographic scales. The majority of studies focus on solar-wind, although more diverse RES combinations were found in contextualized studies. New actors usually participate alongside traditional system actors. More attention to supporting actors is required. Findings highlight the need for further research beyond the technical benefits of combining multiple RES, to explore the roles of various actors. This can be accomplished by incorporating more context in studies, for example, using the substantial existing body of data and research, and by including a greater range of RES combinations, and incorporating more perspectives of associated actors

Towards improved solar energy justice: exploring the complex inequities of household adoption of photovoltaic panels

Solar energy, including household and community based solar photovoltaic panels, is the fastest growing source of low-carbon electricity worldwide, and it could become the single largest source of renewable energy by mid-century. But what negative equity and justice issues may be associated with its adoption? What risks are being accelerated as solar energy grows exponentially in its deployment? In this study, we rely on a mixed methods research design involving household solar interviews (N = 24), site visits (N = 4 solar neighbourhoods), and a literature review to investigate four types of inequities associated with household solar adoption. We utilize a novel framework looking at demographic inequities (between groups), spatial inequities (across geographic scales), interspecies inequities (between humans and non-humans), and temporal inequities (across present and future generations). This framework enables not only the identification of multiple and often interlinked inequities; it also points the way towards how to make solar energy adoption more sustainable and just, with direct implications for solar business practices (and supply chains) as well as energy and climate policy

Landlords' accounts of retrofit:A relational approach in the private rented sector in England

Climate change commitments and the current global energy and living cost crises require investment into energy efficiency in buildings. With one of the oldest housing stocks in Europe, the energy intensity of buildings in the United Kingdom remains high compared to other countries. The adoption of energy retrofit measures can support tackling several social, economic, and environmental objectives. Scarce uptake of these is particularly evident within the private rented sector, which presents additional hurdles compared to social and owner-occupied housing. We adopt an innovative theoretical and methodology approach at the intersection of new economic sociology and energy demand reduction literature to analyse the social relations of energy retrofitting in Brighton and Hove through interviews with landlords and experts in the field. A high percentage of private rented sector housing in poorly insulated and historical buildings, makes retrofitting in this area particularly challenging. Several strategies and policies have been implemented to decarbonise homes; yet have failed in framing the problem surrounding the adoption of retrofitting measures largely in economic terms. By contrast, our case study shows evidence of the ‘relational’ nature of a retrofitting decision-making process shaped by landlords' identities and networks of relations among and within retrofit actors; this could support tailoring more efficient policies. Place-related assets, institutional landscape, climate and built environment specificities are also critical. We are recommending more efficient strategies at the central level that allow for place specific policies; these should account for local features and relational approaches to overcome challenges to retrofit within the sector

Implementing a just renewable energy transition: policy advice for transposing the new European rules for Renewable Energy Communities

The recast of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED II) provides an enabling framework for “Renewable Energy Communities” (RECs) that is being transposed into law by the 27 European Union Member States by June 2021. RECs are majority owned by local members or shareholders who are authorized to share energy within the community, offering the potential to unlock private investment and financing for renewable energy sources and provide social benefits. However, successful implementation and a just energy transition requires the coupling of technological solutions with more open decision making, based on sound analysis, knowledge of engineering, spatial planning, and social science. We argue that financing and ownership models that address renewable energy complementarity, spatial organization of resource potential, demographics, pushback from incumbents, and inclusion of traditionally marginalized groups, are common issues across all Member States that are crucial for the transposition of RED II and a just energy transition. This paper highlights the benefits and challenges of widespread development of RECs, and using examples from the pending transposition process provides policy advice for effective implementation of the RED II with respect to RECs

Comparative studies on water governance: a systematic review

Governance is key to tackle water challenges and transform water management under the increasing pressures of competing water uses and climate change. Diverse water governance regimes have evolved in different countries and regions to regulate the development and management of water resources and the provision of water services. Scholars and policy analysts have been comparing these water governance regimes to analyze elements and processes, to assess performance, or to draw lessons. While the number of such studies has increased over the past decades, no comprehensive synthesis exists. This paper aims to present such a synthesis through conducting a systematic review of the emerging field of comparative water governance studies, and critically reflecting on how water governance is defined, conceptualized and assessed in different contexts. Based on the insights that this review brings about, we identify four areas for future research: 1) improving the balance between small-N, medium-N and large-N studies that are applied for comparative studies on water governance, 2) conducting longitudinal comparisons of water governance in order to identify temporal governance trends and patterns 3) expanding the geographical coverage of the comparisons to include underrepresented countries and regions, focusing more broadly on the Global South 4) addressing the issues of justice, equity and power, which are becoming increasingly important in tackling the water governance challenges that are exacerbated by the impacts of climate change, industrialization and urbanization

Landlords' accounts of retrofit : a relational approach in the private rented sector in England

Climate change commitments and the current global energy and living cost crises require investment into energy efficiency in buildings. With one of the oldest housing stocks in Europe, the energy intensity of buildings in the United Kingdom remains high compared to other countries. The adoption of energy retrofit measures can support tackling several social, economic, and environmental objectives. Scarce uptake of these is particularly evident within the private rented sector, which presents additional hurdles compared to social and owner-occupied housing. We adopt an innovative theoretical and methodology approach at the intersection of new economic sociology and energy demand reduction literature to analyse the social relations of energy retrofitting in Brighton and Hove through interviews with landlords and experts in the field. A high percentage of private rented sector housing in poorly insulated and historical buildings, makes retrofitting in this area particularly challenging. Several strategies and policies have been implemented to decarbonise homes; yet have failed in framing the problem surrounding the adoption of retrofitting measures largely in economic terms. By contrast, our case study shows evidence of the ‘relational’ nature of a retrofitting decision-making process shaped by landlords' identities and networks of relations among and within retrofit actors; this could support tailoring more efficient policies. Place-related assets, institutional landscape, climate and built environment specificities are also critical. We are recommending more efficient strategies at the central level that allow for place specific policies; these should account for local features and relational approaches to overcome challenges to retrofit within the sector

Who applies for energy grants?

Most domestic energy retrofit policies in the UK are designed to incentivise economically rational consumers. Logically, this should mean that applicants to domestic energy incentives are those who can financially benefit the most from these subsidies. Here, we test this logic by asking the question 'what types of households apply for domestic energy incentives in the UK?'. To answer this question, we systematically assess the characteristics of households who apply for incentives and develop a GB neighbourhood level household typology bringing together data sets on domestic energy incentives and household geo-demographics. We discover that some types of households are much more likely to apply for incentives than others. In particular, we find that Asian origin, owner-occupier households of low income living in energy inefficient terraces apply for ECO incentives at a rate twelve times higher than expected. This phenomenon is even more pronounced when we look at applications by geographic area, with these households applying in very high numbers in the industrial north of England. Building on recent work on energy consumption and social relations, we argue that understanding the increased likelihood of these household types to apply for domestic energy incentives demands a relational perspective. These households share geo-demographic and dwelling characteristics, which suggests the spread of uptake of policy through the community through networks of social relations, as opposed to uptake purely on the basis of perceived cost-benefit. We conclude by offering insights for policy makers about the possibilities for mobilising social relations in the delivery of energy efficiency projects