Conflict management instruments for the energy transition

Abstract

The pressure to act on the energy transition and contribute to clean and affordable energy as one of the Sustainable Development Goals continues to rise. However, the energy transition is a socio-technical challenge that harbors considerable potential for social conflict. To address this issue, this article presents research that has developed a set of options for dealing with existing and possible future conflicts in the energy transition in Germany focussing on the electricity sector. The use of these conflict management instruments, including economic measures, adjustments to different laws, and measures to strengthen participation, can make the transition in this sector more resilient. To increase the chances that this desirable societal impact is achieved, the instruments were developed in a mutual science-practice learning process. The article describes this process which was inspired by transdisciplinary approaches and based on feedback workshops with a variety of practice actors. It concludes by emphasizing that there is a good chance of multiplier effects in relation to a published impulse paper on the key results of this process and promising conflict management instruments. The importance of energy and climate protection agencies participating in the workshops is also emphasized.