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What kind of, and whose, sustainability counts? – Implications of EU’s Renewable Energy Directive in sub-Saharan Africa

Harnesk, David LU and Brogaard, Sara LU (2015) Biofuels and (ir)responsible innovation: tensions between policy, practice and sustainable development
Abstract
The European Union (EU) plays a globally influential role in environmental legislation, with policies and regulation rooted in particular norms. Through a narrative on regulatory capitalism, ecological modernization, and diffusion, we trace how the promotion of renewable energy in transport through subsidies, mandatory targets, and prescriptive criteria for liquid biofuels, has impacts beyond the EU. The study identifies prevailing norms, mechanisms of decision making, and the network of actors involved in this regulatory regime, and how its expansion influences outcomes in Tanzania. Findings show how this regime emphasizes systematic eco-innovation of energy technologies, has an interchangeable approach to natural capital, and weighs... (More)
The European Union (EU) plays a globally influential role in environmental legislation, with policies and regulation rooted in particular norms. Through a narrative on regulatory capitalism, ecological modernization, and diffusion, we trace how the promotion of renewable energy in transport through subsidies, mandatory targets, and prescriptive criteria for liquid biofuels, has impacts beyond the EU. The study identifies prevailing norms, mechanisms of decision making, and the network of actors involved in this regulatory regime, and how its expansion influences outcomes in Tanzania. Findings show how this regime emphasizes systematic eco-innovation of energy technologies, has an interchangeable approach to natural capital, and weighs social concerns as subordinate to economic efficiency. Through top-down diffusion via project developers, investors, and experts, the regime aggravates challenges in Tanzania as regards to policy, tenure and land-use, explored in three different settings. These relations are concluded as essential for climate change mitigation strategies in the EU. (Less)
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to conference
publication status
published
subject
conference name
Biofuels and (ir)responsible innovation: tensions between policy, practice and sustainable development
conference location
Eindhoven, Netherlands
conference dates
2015-04-13 - 2015-04-14
project
The Renewable Energy Directive and Associated Sustainability Criteria – Sweden in a European and Global context
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
23df3efa-e6ad-43a4-a9fd-7b2f1a0b2af0
date added to LUP
2017-06-02 17:14:55
date last changed
2025-04-04 15:12:41
@misc{23df3efa-e6ad-43a4-a9fd-7b2f1a0b2af0,
  abstract     = {{The European Union (EU) plays a globally influential role in environmental legislation, with policies and regulation rooted in particular norms. Through a narrative on regulatory capitalism, ecological modernization, and diffusion, we trace how the promotion of renewable energy in transport through subsidies, mandatory targets, and prescriptive criteria for liquid biofuels, has impacts beyond the EU. The study identifies prevailing norms, mechanisms of decision making, and the network of actors involved in this regulatory regime, and how its expansion influences outcomes in Tanzania. Findings show how this regime emphasizes systematic eco-innovation of energy technologies, has an interchangeable approach to natural capital, and weighs social concerns as subordinate to economic efficiency. Through top-down diffusion via project developers, investors, and experts, the regime aggravates challenges in Tanzania as regards to policy, tenure and land-use, explored in three different settings. These relations are concluded as essential for climate change mitigation strategies in the EU.}},
  author       = {{Harnesk, David and Brogaard, Sara}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  title        = {{What kind of, and whose, sustainability counts? – Implications of EU’s Renewable Energy Directive in sub-Saharan Africa}},
  year         = {{2015}},
}