Justice and Sustainability Tradeoffs in Energy Transition: Are There Win-Win Outcomes?

The tradeoffs within sustainability (ecological, economic, and societal) have long been recognized as emblematic of the “wicked problems” that face our societies. These tradeoffs are often mediated through differential power and interests that define the outcomes of sustainability choices. Ensuring just sustainability tradeoffs in relation to energy transition adds another layer of considerations into the mix. Will energy transition equally distribute benefits and limitations to all?

This workshop will bring to the fore examples from around the globe that illustrate various dimensions of justice in energy transitions. We will feature a mix of speakers from academia, policy, and activist movements who will articulate justice-related dilemmas in energy transition. The workshop is open to all researchers, policy makers, and civil society representatives engaged with the theme.

Program

Detailed Information about the Workshop

Organized by: Strategic Area for Research Community and Energy (Team Energy and Society).
More information about the Strategic Areas can be found here: https://www.ntnu.no/fellesskap
https://www.ntnu.no/web/energi/samfunn

Brief Description of the Proposed Workshop

Title: Justice and Sustainability Tradeoffs in Energy Transition: Are There Win-Win Outcomes?

The tradeoffs within sustainability (ecological, economic, and societal) have long been recognized as emblematic of the “wicked problems” that face our societies. These tradeoffs are often mediated through differential power and interests that define the outcomes of sustainability choices. Ensuring just sustainability tradeoffs in relation to energy transition adds another layer of considerations to the mix. Will energy transition equally distribute benefits and limitations to all (distributional justice)? Are all interests and voices represented/included in the processes of energy transition (processual justice)? Whose knowledge counts, and how are alternative systems of knowledge—such as those held by indigenous communities—incorporated into sustainability tradeoffs (epistemic justice)? Will energy reinforce or transform exploitative practices of production, for example in the global mining industry (retributive justice)? These are some critical questions to be asked when evaluating sustainability tradeoffs in energy transitions in terms of values such as fairness and justice.

This workshop will bring to the fore examples from around the globe that illustrate various dimensions of justice in energy transitions. A mix of speakers from academia, policy, and activist movements will articulate justice-related dilemmas in energy transition. The workshop is open to all researchers, policy makers, and civil society representatives engaged with the theme. The workshop will be organized with 4-5 invited speakers (including researchers, practitioners from the public and private sector, and activist organizations), followed by group discussions on key justice-related issues in energy transition. The topics at each table will be self-defined, based on research or practice experience. The workshop will conclude with a short presentation of key fairness and just dilemmas discussed and exemplified by the group.

Context and Linkages

The issues of justice and fairness in energy transitions—both locally and globally—have emerged as a crosscutting theme across the Strategic Area of Community and Energy (Team Energy and Society) at NTNU. Since these strategic areas are under development, the workshop will bring together researchers and research groups that want to bridge these strategic areas. Inviting activists, policy makers, and researchers to the same table is also meant to create a dialogue between the research community, practitioners, and civil society, in order to make research more relevant and on the premises of society at large. The workshop will also give NTNU Energy Transition Week a more critical voice in policy discussions in Norway and abroad.

Capacity and Logistics

At Gruva, we can accommodate between 50–60 participants. We envisage 20 participants to be “by invitation only,” while the rest of the places will be open to all. Given that this workshop will feature and benefit from international participants, it will be best to schedule it on Tuesday afternoon so international participants can also join the conference on the following day.