This timely collection of essays examines the legal and regulatory dynamics of energy transitions in the context of emerging trends towards decarbonisation and low-carbon energy solutions. The book explores this topic by considering the applicable energy law and policy frameworks in both: (i) highly industrialised and major economies such as the US, EU, China and Australia; (ii) resource-rich developing countries such as Nigeria and regions like Southern Africa. Comprising 16 chapters, the book delves into the tradeoffs and regulatory complexities of carbon-constraints in conventional energy supply systems, while maintaining a reliable and secure energy system that is equally sustainable (ie decarbonised). It highlights the importance of ensuring affordable access to energy services in developing economies as the energy transitions unfold and explores the potentials of emerging technologies such as hydrogen networks, power-to-gas and Carbon Capture and Storage. Additionally, the book also considers the international investment law implications of energy decarbonisation. Focusing on the nexus between law, regulation and institutions, it adopts a contextual approach to examine how and to what extent institutions can effectively facilitate more reliable, sustainable and secure energy supply systems in the twenty-first century. This book portrays the conventional hydrocarbon-based energy supply industry in a largely international and interconnected context. It highlights the costs, benefits and losses that may arise as the transition towards decarbonisation unfolds depending on the pathways and solutions adopted. With chapters written by leading experts in energy law and policy, the reader-friendly style and engaging discussions will benefit an international audience of policymakers, academics, students and advisers looking for a more incisive understanding of the issues involved in energy transitions and the decarbonisation of energy systems.

The low-carbon transition is ongoing everywhere. This Handbook, written by a group of senior and junior scholars from six continents and nineteen countries, explores the legal pathways of decarbonisation in the energy sector. What emerges is a composite picture. There are many roadblocks, but also a lot of legal innovation. The volume distils the legal knowledge which should help move forward the transition. Questions addressed include the differences between the decarbonization strategies of developed and developing countries, the pace of the transition, the management of multi-level governance systems, the pros and cons of different policy instruments, the planning of low-carbon infrastructures, the roles and meanings of energy justice. The Handbook can be drawn upon by legal scholars to compare decarbonisation pathways in several jurisdictions. Non-legal scholars can find information to be included in transition theories and decarbonization scenarios. Policymakers can discover contextual factors that should be taken into account when deciding how to support the transition.

A ‘green economy’ must be built on ‘green jobs’ - the kind of employment that is low carbon, intended to reduce energy use and expected to restore environmental quality. But attempts to define exactly what a ‘green job’ is have led to varied and often contradictory answers. There are many unresolved questions including whether we consider jobs in the nuclear fuel industry to be green jobs? Or is a worker at a glass making company which supplies the glass for the solar photovoltaic industry doing a green job given that glass making is a ‘dirty’ industry? This book deals with the relationship between "green" concepts (green jobs, green economy, green growth) and sustainable development. It examines to which extent creation of green jobs supports overall economic development as opposed to creation of elitist jobs and greenwashing. In order to do so, general conceptual frameworks for green jobs, green economy, green growth and green policy are presented as well as their implementation in ten countries selected among the Group of Twenty. The selection includes advanced (the European Union, the United States of America, Australia, Canada, Republic of Korea, Japan) and developing countries (Mexico, China, Turkey and Brazil). The analysis presented in this book shows that although green concept is well-intentioned, its implementation depends on local circumstances – economic, political and social. Developed countries perceive green growth as a way to create new markets and demand, while developing countries rely more on labor intensive growth and less expensive green jobs. Thus, greening the economy does not diminish differences between rich and poor. This book is suitable for those who study and work in Ecological Economics, Sustainable Development and Labor Economics.

This book addresses the fundamental changes that the Italian public utilities sector has undergone in the last two decades. Since the late 1990s, liberalisation and privatisation have replaced state-owned monopolies at both the national and local level, new technologies have created a broad range of new opportunities for power generation and distribution, and a redesigned public policy agenda has brought to the fore a whole set of new priorities. In this fast-changing environment, firms have redrawn their strategies, redesigned their business architectures and models, invested in infrastructure and R&D, taken advantage of growth opportunities at home and abroad, opened up their ownership structure, revised their offerings, and developed a new approach to customers. As a result, a radically altered market structure has emerged. As the sector tackles the overriding challenge of sustainability and energy transition, the book takes stock of such past and ongoing developments through the direct testimonies of various stakeholders: the companies in the energy, water, and waste management sectors that are at the forefront of this sweeping transformation; regulators; financial partners; and management consulting firms. The diversity of perspectives and wealth of information presented make this book a valuable resource for anyone wanting to grasp the direction, intensity and causes of change, as well as the nature of the challenges that lie ahead. This work has been prepared as part of the research activities of the Observatory on Alliances and Strategies in the Pan-European Utility Market, one of Agici’s Research and Advisory units.

While the ambitious objectives outlined in the EU’s Green Deal aim at making Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050, national implementation greatly varies depending on local geographies, history, culture, economics, and politics. This book analyses Member States’ and EU neighbours’ national efforts to combat climate change. It subsequently draws on these factors to highlight local challenges, tensions, and opportunities on the road towards climate neutrality. In the context of inter-country dependencies following Russia’s war against Ukraine, it addresses strategic questions regarding EU integration, the transformation of our economies, the reduction of energy dependencies, and public perception of the above. The book also makes concrete recommendations, in various policy areas, on how individual countries and the EU as a whole should deal with the climate crisis.

Housing is a major contributor to CO2 emissions in Europe and America today and the construction of new homes offers an opportunity to address this issue. Providing homes that achieve "zero carbon", "carbon neutral", "zero-net energy" or "energy-plus" standard is becoming the goal of more innovative house-builders globally, whilst energy providers seek to decarbonise the energy supply to new and existing development. Various new technical systems for achieving these goals are beginning to emerge. For example the passive house whose energy requirement for space heating and cooling is almost zero; the smart grid that has revolutionized the management of energy, whilst enabling the connection of small-scale, renewable energy producers and electric vehicles to the grid; or the European super-grid which will enable zero carbon energy to be generated in the Sahara desert and stored in Norway. This book explores the diverse approaches that are being adopted around the world to deliver zero carbon homes and the different societal systems and geographic circumstances in which they have developed. It postulates a roadmap for delivering zero carbon homes, together with a toolbox approach for policy and practice to suit particular national and local circumstances. A series of case studies are presented that offer lessons for delivering zero carbon homes. These examples are also used to demonstrate how prototype systems can move into the mainstream. The book highlights some of the instruments and mechanisms that could be used to support this transformation and addresses the wider implications of introducing these innovative systems in terms of industry, lifestyle and urban form.

Courage, Contributions and Compliance: The Routledge Handbook of Climate Law and Governance recognises calls from the United Nations (UN), the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The elders, and others, for climate justice and urgent action, and convenes insights from leading legal and institutional experts, professors, professionals and early career scholars on emerging climate law and policy challenges, commitments and solutions. The collection explores the role of law and governance in scaling up global responses to climate change and advancing sustainability. Based on careful study of international advances and the full spectrum of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to the global response to climate change, as submitted by Paris Agreement Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the volume compiles a compelling, coherent and systematic topical account from across diverse legal jurisdictions. Analytical chapters by leading experts, practitioners and scholars close to ongoing climate negotiations explore recent legal and institutional innovations related to climate change which can support implementation and compliance with the Paris Agreement and advance the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They highlight ways to raise ambition through law and policy, to reform national legal and institutional arrangements to implement NDCs and to further develop international law and governance in the face of the existential threat of climate change and the world: sustainable development commitments. Presenting a pathway for advancing climate ambition in the coming decades, this book will be of interest to government officials, academics, students, professionals and policy makers working in the area of climate law and governance.

A novel, interdisciplinary account of the global politics of producing, financing, governing and mobilising energy system transformation.

Inclusive and sustainable economic growth in the six Western Balkan (WB6) economies depends on greater economic competitiveness. Although the gap is closing gradually, the standards of living in WB6 are well below those of the OECD and EU. Accelerating the rate of socio-economic convergence will require a holistic and growth oriented approach to policy making. This is the fourth study of the region (formerly under the title 'Competitiveness in South East Europe') and it comprehensively assesses policy reforms in the WB6 economies across 15 policy areas key to strengthening their competitiveness. It enables WB6 economies to compare economic performance against regional peers, as well as EU-OECD good practices and standards, and to design future policies based on rich evidence and actionable policy recommendations. The regional profile presents assessment findings across five policy clusters crucial to accelerating socio-economic convergence of the WB6 by fostering regional co-operation: business environment, skills, infrastructure and connectivity, digital transformation and greening. Economy-specific profiles complement the regional assessment, offering each WB6 economy an in-depth analysis of their policies supporting competitiveness. They also track the implementation of the previous 2021 study's recommendations and provide additional ones tailored to the economies’ evolving challenges. These recommendations aim to inform structural economic reforms and facilitate the region’s socio-economic convergence towards the standards of the EU and OECD.