Abstract
The expansion of renewable energy sources (RES) has gained political prominence as one technological response to climate change. In many contexts, RES are being added to existing energy systems, often alongside continuing or growing energy demand, rather than in a straightforward substitution for fossil fuels. At the same time, political efforts to accelerate RES development are intensifying, in part so that governments can work toward their self imposed carbon reduction targets.
As part of her research project “Contested Ground: Politics of Environmental Knowledge and Practice in Eastern Germany,” Carolin examines how changes in national energy policy are translated into local settings. In her talk at the LandBruk Seminar, she considers, from the vantage point of two rural communities in eastern Germany, what happens when federal energy transition policies seek to reorganise rural space and thereby reshape local livelihoods and political dynamics. Recent legislative changes in Germany provide strong support for RES expansion, which can take precedence over other land use interests. Drawing primarily on policy documents, reports, media coverage, and initial interviews, Carolin traces the development of one RES project as instances of political contestation with relevance beyond local energy policy.
This will be a hybrid seminar, with in-person attendance at SAI and digitally on Zoom. Zoom-link
Language
This seminar will be held in English.
About the LandUse
LandUse is a group of researchers and students associated with the Nordic Laboratory (NorLab) research group, who come together to discuss anthropological perspectives on land-use in the Nordics.