Why Waste a Good Crisis? Making an Economic Policy Revolution Hugh Pemberton Abstract: Five years on from the onset of the present economic crisis one might expect a policy revolution to be underway. Certainly, that was the result of the crisis set off by the financial crash of 1929, and of the difficult years of the 1970s. Yet so far those hoping for such a revolution continue to wait in vain. In this paper I consider why no paradigm shift has occurred this time around. I begin by discussing Peter A. Hall’s influential 1993 article
Read More »Regulatory change in UK renewable energy support policies: the role of discourse and ideology Sarah Lester Abstract: This paper examines policy change within UK electricity regulation and market reform for climate change policies, focusing on renewable energy regulation in the UK for low-carbon electricity generation technologies: questioning what drives the choice in frameworks, regulatory tools and mechanisms to support renewable energy deployment in the UK policy process? The paper also examines the motivations for reform, government rhetorics, and how actors (from government, business, public, stakeholders) inform the policy process and choice of mechanisms. The central
Read More »“We’re not talking about lab experiments”: Emerging governance practices for sustainable energy in the UK Janette Webb and David Hawkey Abstract: This paper uses evidence about practices of local energy development as the basis for theorising about governance change for sustainable economy. It considers the policy ambition for transition to clean, affordable energy as a major collective action problem which has to be addressed in the context of the liberalised, and in the UK centralised, energy markets developed alongside finance capitalism over the last 20- 30 years. The paper focuses on decentralised combined heat and
Read More »The role of governance in accelerating transition towards more integrated, service-oriented infrastructure operation Katy Roelich, Tina Schmeider, Julia Steinberger and Christof Knoeri Abstract: Infrastructure operation in the UK can be described as separate utility systems provisioning unconstrained demand, with higher throughput corresponding to higher profits. A more sustainable approach would prioritise coordinated infrastructure operation focused on essential service delivery at the lowest possible resource use. However, the presiding policy paradigm reinforces the current regime to such an extent that it constrains the necessary transition to a more sustainable infrastructure system. This paper combines the findings
Read More »Governing transformation? Climate finance in South Africa’s energy sector Lucy Baker Abstract: This paper fuses approaches from socio-technical transitions (Geels and Schot 2007, Smith et al 2005) with political economy perspectives informed by the literature on South Africa’s minerals-energy complex (Fine and Rustomjee 1996). In doing so it generates key insights into governance and policy-making in the electricity sector and contributes to an analytical framework for a problem that is at once political, economic, social and technological. Such a framework allows for the analysis of historical power relations, structural change, the underlying interests of dominant
Read More »British energy policy: descending to a combination of pork barrel politics and desperation? Catherine Mitchell, IGov Team, 10th May, 2013 About Catherine: http://geography.exeter.ac.uk/staff/index.php?web_id=Catherine_Mitchell Given that everyone – householders through to businesses – use energy, and that its use is a major cause of climate change, energy policy has significant implications for everyone in society. It can be a force for good – providing jobs; making lives more comfortable as houses become more energy efficient (warmer and free of draughts); be a stimulator of innovation, skills and new economic growth; and enabling those individuals and
Read More »Heat Policy: Cinderella or Wicked Step-Mother Richard Lowes, IGov Advisory Group – 2nd May 2013 We are hugely import dependent to secure enough of it, its costs are rising and it’s relatively high carbon, yet gas is central to how we provide heat to our homes and businesses in the UK. But, this is all to change, we are told, by the Government’s grand ‘heat strategy policy statement’. At some point in the 2040s, my London flat will be connected to a district heating network which will serve all houses and businesses in London. My friends
Read More »Matthew Lockwood took part in the Inclusive Growth, Innovation and Technology: Interdisciplinary Perspectives
Read More »This is the final agenda for our one day workshop on theoretical approaches to understanding change in governance systems, with a particular focus on managing transformation to a more sustainable energy system and economy. Increasingly, research on energy transitions call for greater innovation, not only in technologies, corporate and individual behaviours, but also in political practices. Much of the literature concludes that without a core role for national government(s) in supporting the transition to a sustainable economy, and especially in niche technology markets, progress will be too slow to prevent global temperature rising above two degrees centigrade
Read More »Electricity Markets: The Search for Common Ground Simon Skillings (1), IGov Advisory Group – 24th April 2013 There is a lot of electricity market reform happening in Europe at the moment. There is also a lot of discussion as to whether these reforms are necessary, inadequate, or simply misguided. However, it is less clear that these discussions represent true engagement regarding a well-defined and well understood set of issues. The territory is littered with terms such as ‘market reform’, ‘market failure’, ‘central planning’, ‘the internal energy market’ and ‘capacity payments’ that are poorly defined and yet seem
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