Green energy transitions as climate action?

Hochstetler, Kathryn ORCID: 0000-0003-2960-058X (2025) Green energy transitions as climate action? In: Almeida, Paul, (ed.) Oxford Handbook of Climate Action. Oxford Handbooks. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK.

Full text not available from this repository.

Abstract

An emerging consensus among scientists and policymakers puts green energy transition at the center of climate mitigation as a comparatively efficient and inexpensive way of quickly reducing greenhouse gas emissions, suitable for countries at every level of development. This chapter presents that view and the evidence for it, noting the rapid expansion of green energy and its many potential “co-benefits,” or benefits beyond decarbonization. These include the promise of economic growth, innovation, and good green jobs. From there, the chapter turns to two of the most obvious problems with this scenario. The first is that green energy transition is often conceived as the simple expansion of renewable energy as a win-win solution without fully taking on the need to also shut down fossil fuel production for a full energy transition, a losing proposition for often very powerful—and resistant—political and economic actors. The second is that even green energy transition may bring numerous costs for already-vulnerable actors, from the communities where supporting minerals will be mined to the labor forces and communities that will bear transition costs.

Item Type:	Book Section
Divisions:	International Development
Subjects:	G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GE Environmental Sciences H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor
Date Deposited:	19 Feb 2025 08:24
Last Modified:	31 Mar 2025 14:52
URI:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/127367

Actions (login required)

View Item