All habits die hard : Exploring the path dependence and lock-ins of outdated energy systems in the Russian Arctic

In the middle of accelerating climate change and global energy transition from fossil fuels towards low-carbon alternatives, Russia has set a course for mitigating the negative effects of these phenomena while seeking to profit from the supposed positive prospects of warming climate conditions: for example, the expected opening of the Northern Sea Route for commercial traffic or producing renewable energy technologies for export. To reach these goals, Russia wields a policy tool known as "mega projects", centralized development interventions, which should bypass structural problems like the high cost of fuel deliveries that have plagued the Arctic socioeconomic development for decades. How do new mega projects aim to find quick solutions for complex problems, and why are outdated energy systems so resistant to change? The article analyzes two recent energy projects in the Republic of Sakha: building a wind park in Tiksi and establishing a company to manage fossil fuel deliveries, from the viewpoint of a pragmatist understanding of habits and their interconnected relationship with institutions. Main research questions examine what parts of the established ways of fossil fuel usage are most resistant to change in this context and what we may expect of renewable energy development in the area. Although challenges caused by the accelerating climate change are unpredictable, Russia answers to them by using the same toolkit as with other national mega projects, involving centralized decision-making and one-size-fits-all solutions. Therefore, any actors wishing to further new energy solutions in the region must do so by supplementing and supporting the dominant ones.Peer reviewe

Russian Renewable Energy Politics in the Arctic : National Priorities and Local Realities

The Russian Arctic is known of its vastness of space, unrelenting weather and natural resources. Renewable energy, however, is rarely linked with developing the country’s Arctic regions. This dissertation explores what kind of importance could de-centralized energy sources have in a setting dominated by fossil fuel revenues Initiatives launched by private actors are mainly absent in the Russian Arctic, butthis does not mean that the local level does not have agency of its own, nor does it rule out interesting side trajectories developed in the regions. This study examines these issues with the help of three case studies, which explore (i) the key priorities of national renewable energy policies, (ii) the enabling and restricting factors behind the use of biomass for energy in Arkhangelsk, and (iii) the relation between existing power structures and new energy projects in the Republic of Sakha. In addition to increasing knowledge on renewable energy use in the Russian Arctic regions, this study contributes to the theoretical discussions on public justification sociotechnical (energy) transitions and the multi-level perspective approach, and carbon lock-ins. With the help of these theoretical concepts, it is possible to analyze Russian energy politics not only as a special case but as a part of a bigger continuum of sociotechnical transitions. Since literature on energy transitions has mainly discussed transition cases in market-led, energy-importing countries, evaluating its key notions in the context of the Russian Arctic offers new viewpoints on their adaptability. The results of this dissertation state that the Russian official discourse promoting renewable energy use favors concrete, technical objectives at the expense of a more ambitious long-term vision. Various lock-ins restrict the possibility of alternative energy forms to develop, and while new actors work alone, existing lock-ins reinforce each other. However, even the current situation holds many possibilities for alternative practices to find niches and develop. Energy policy-making and regional development are neither top-down nor bottom-up affairs, but instead happen in a dynamic interaction between local, regional, and national actors — despite the highly centralized character of the current political system. These realities offer possibilities for renewable energy projects to take root in the Russian Arctic, albeit as a part of the great power politics related to fossil fuel exports.Venäjän Arktis tunnetaan laajuudestaan, säälimättömistä sääolosuhteistaan ja valtavista luonnonvaroistaan, mutta uusiutuvaa energiaa harvoin yhdistetään näiden alueiden kehitykseen. Tämän väitöskirjan keskeisenä tavoitteena on valottaa hajautettujen energialähteiden hyödyntämisen merkitystä fossiilisista polttoaineista saatavien tulojen määrittämissä olosuhteissa. Vaikka Venäjän pohjoisilta alueilta puuttuvat suurelta osin yksityisten toimijoiden aloitteet ja sijoitukset, paikallistaso voi joiltain osin toimia oma-aloitteisesti ja yleisistä kehityssuunnista poikkeavia ilmiöitä voi näin ollen esiintyä. Tämä tutkimus syventyy näihin kysymyksiin kolmen tapaustutkimuksen kautta, jotka kartoittavat (i) valtiollista uusiutuvaa energiapolitiikkaa koskevia linjauksia, (ii), biomassan hyödyntämisen mahdollistavia ja rajoittavia tekijöitä Arkangelin alueella sekä (iii) olemassaolevien valtarakenteiden ja uusiutuvia energianlähteitä hyödyntävien hankkeitten suhdetta Sahan tasavallassa. Venäjän arktisten alueiden uusiutuvan energiankäytön nykytilan selvittämisen lisäksi tutkimus osallistuu yhteiskuntatieteelliseen teoreettiseen keskusteluun julkisesta oikeuttamista, sosio-teknisten (energia)murroksista sekä monitasoperspektiivin ja hiililukkojen periaatteista. Näiden teoreettisten välineiden keinoin venäläistä energiapolitiikkaa on mahdollista analysoida osana laajempaa sosio-teknisten murrosten jatkumoa. Koska energiatuotannon murrosta käsittelevä tutkimuskirjallisuus on toistaiseksi keskittynyt lähinnä vakiintuneen markkinatalouden oloissa toimiviin, energiaa maahantuoviin yhteiskuntiin, keskeisen tutkimuskäsitteistön arviointi Venäjän arktisten alueitten yhteydessä on merkittäväksi hyödyksi niiden yleisen sovellettavuuden arvioinnissa. Väitöskirja osoittaa, että Venäjän virallinen energiapolitiikka suosii uusiutuvien energialähteiden käytössä konkreettisia ja teknisiä tavoitteita kunnianhimoisempien tai pitkäjänteisimpien suunnitelmien sijaan. Moninaiset hiililukot rajoittavat vaihtoehtoisten energiamuotojen kehitystä, ja samalla kun uudet toimijat toimivat yksin ja erillisesti, olemassaolevat esteet vahvistavat toinen toisiaan. Tästä huolimatta nykyisetkin olosuhteet paljastavat markkinarakoja, joiden kautta vaihtoehtoiset käytännöt voivat mahdollisesti vallata alaa. Venäjän poliittisen järjestelmän erittäin keskitetystä luonteesta huolimatta maan energiapolitiikka ja alueellinen kehitys eivät ole tiukasti ylhäältä alaspäin tai alhaalta ylöspäin määräytyviä ilmiöitä, vaan muotoutuvat vuorovaikutussuhteessa paikallisten, alueellisten ja kansallisten toimijoiden välillä. Tällöin myös uusiutuvilla energianlähteillä on mahdollisuuksia saada jalansijaa maan pohjoisilla alueilla, joskin todennäköisesti vielä yksinomaan osana fossiilisten polttoaineiden hyödyntämisen politiikkaa

Public justification analysis of Russian renewable energy strategies

The Russian renewable energy industry has not yet succeeded in breaking through into the domestic market despite its potential, particularly in remote Arctic settlements. This article examines broad issues that influence national policy-makers and provides an analysis of the type of objectives that are emphasized in Russian energy policies. It can be assumed that the priorities behind these objectives have a more stable status than more concrete plans to boost the use of renewables, since they often fail to materialize. In order to discover these priorities, I analyze several relevant policy-making documents with the help of public justification analysis, a method developed to examine public claims made in favor of a certain cause, and the commonly known values that the claim-makers refer to in order to convince others. This paper reveals that Russian energy policy documents tend to emphasize concrete, technical tasks over more abstract, holistic goals. In addition, industrial needs dominate all policies, even those related to socio-economic or environmental issues. I conclude that the tendencies listed above may prevent fundamental structural change in the Russian energy industry, despite the potential of renewable energy, especially in the Arctic regions.Peer reviewe

A local perspective on renewable energy development in the Russian Arctic

Publisher Copyright: © 2020 The Author(s).Many Arctic communities are exposed to energy security risks. Remote settlements rely largely on diesel for energy production, which results in higher consumer prices, negative impacts on the environment and public health. In the past few years, pilot projects for switching remote villages from diesel-generated to wind- and solar-diesel hybrid power plants were realized across the Arctic. Renewable energy projects have a major potential to alleviate energy security risks, promote public health and better environment. Yet, renewable energy does not take hold easily in the Arctic region. Especially in Russia, significant subsidies for fossil fuel present a major disincentive, as well as perpetuate vested interests of national oil companies. Despite the Russian Arctic being a ‘hard case’ for renewables development, there has been both interest in and progress towards the uptake of renewable energy across the Russian Arctic regions. This article contributes to the ‘local turn’ in sustainable energy policy studies by exploring two intertwined questions: which factors contribute to renewable energy development in the Russian Arctic and how do these factors characterise differences between individual Arctic communities? Using a combination of exploratory factor analysis and correspondence analysis in application to the local level (municipal) data, we update the existing models of the factors contributing to renewable energy uptake and put forward four distinct community-level models that describe renewables uptake. We conclude by emphasizing the importance of the local perspective on sustainable energy as a key to explaining differences in observed policy outcomes.Peer reviewe

D5.3 Report on capacity building for MAP facilitators & monitors

The purpose of this report is to understand the impact generated by training activities and the work carried out by the facilitators and monitors leading the MAP’s. This report specifically focuses on assessing the impact and outcomes of the capacity building initiatives within the SHERPA project. Its primary purpose is to evaluate the effectiveness and benefits of these initiatives for the facilitators and monitors involved in the Multi-Actor Platforms (MAPs). The SHERPA project is characterised by the spirit of co-construction and the power of collaboration. Consequently, this aspect has been included as part of the assessment of the experienced capacity building among facilitators and monitors. This report serves as a reminder that the process itself holds intrinsic value, showcasing the gains that are sometimes overlooked in a society that tends to prioritise tangible outputs and concrete deliverables. By recognising the significance of collaboration and co-construction, the report sheds light on the benefits derived from working together within the SHERPA project. It underscores the value of fostering strong relationships, sharing knowledge, and engaging in collective efforts to effectively shape rural policies. Overall, this report emphasises the value of the collaborative process and aims to highlight the often overlooked benefits that arise from collective efforts and capacity building initiatives within the SHERPA project

Between hand-outs and stand-outs: Opportunities for policy support for just green transitions : Policy brief based on Case Study Report “Can local value creation induce a sense of justice during green transitions? A study of six rural areas in Denmark, Finland, and Norway”

The urgency of climate change, economic shifts, and recent energy crises has highlighted the need for the green transition, with a particular focus on Nordic rural areas playing a key role in developing renewable energy. However, there's concern that this transition might increase existing differences between urban and rural areas. Evidence suggests that people in rural regions feel they might be neglected, which could put fair green transitions and the achievement of climate goals at risk. The policy brief from the Just Green Transition in Rural Areas project emphasises the need to involve local communities in green projects to encourage a sense of ownership and fairness. It calls for early community involvement, clear communication, inclusive compensation strategies, recognition of non-monetary benefits, and using the flexibility of rural municipalities to their advantage. As Nordic rural areas face multiple changes, collaboration across different sectors is vital to ensure fairness and effectiveness in green initiatives, potentially making rural areas pioneers rather than followers in the transition

Russian Arctic energy -- objectives and realities

Non peer reviewe

Championing Sustainable Construction Using Timber In The Baltic Sea Region

Timber construction can radically cut carbon emissions. The construction sector is accountable for c. 40% of global emissions, a third of which comes from the production of building materials. Replacing concrete and steel with timber offers a huge opportunity to reach the carbon neutrality goals. Nordic and Baltic countries have a unique advantage in leading the way, given the vast forest resources available, a long legacy of the forestry industry and wood building, the in-built industrial capacity, and the well-functioning and interlinked supply chains across the Baltic Sea Region (BSR). Yet, decisive policy measures are needed to overcome technical, regulatory, and cultural obstacles. Challenging the status quo and creating a market shift demands holistic and collaborative approaches that can enable systemic change, as well as targeted measures to navigate through country-specific obstacles.

Can local value creation induce a sense of justice during green transitions? : A study of six rural areas in Denmark, Finland, and Norway

The accelerating impacts of climate change, the need to adapt to changing economic and political realities, and the recent energy crisis have made the green transition something that most Nordic citizens acknowledge. However, especially rural areas and their communities are at risk of being reduced to passive instruments of national green transition measures featuring heavy land-use. These conditions make it very difficult to create a sense of justness in green transitions, leading to growing sense of alienation and resentment and putting the national climate goals in danger. From this starting point, the case studies of the research project “Just Green Transition on Rural Areas: Local Benefits from Value Creation” set out to examine what kind of benefits would generate value from green transition measures in the direct impact zone of new energy projects. The case studies took place in three Nordic countries and six locations: in Northern Ostrobothnia and Northern Central Finland of Finland, involving wind power and land use planning; in Nord-Fron and Nord-Odal in Norway, involving both wind power and strategic sustainability work; and in Skive and Bornholm of Denmark, involving a hybrid mix of renewable energy sources in the context of industrial park development.  The results highlight the importance of local involvement and trust in green energy transitions in Nordic rural areas. Neglecting local needs can cause resistance to renewable projects. Early engagement, transparent communication, and ensuring local benefits are vital. While monetary benefits attract attention, relying solely on them can create community divisions. A blend of community engagement, environmental benefits, and local ownership of projects fosters trust and a deeper sense of justice in these transitions