18
V. R. Nalule
defines ‘transition’ as ‘a change from one form or type to another, or the
process by which this happens’.
35
There is no agreed definition of the term energy transition. The
International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), for instance, defines
energy transition as a pathway towards the transformation of the global
energy sector from fossil-based to zero-carbon by the second half of
this century. According to IRENA, the focus of this transition is to
tackle climate change by reducing energy-related CO 2 emissions and
thereby increasing renewable energy and energy efficiency measures while
at the same time reducing the consumption of fossil fuels.
36 Geography is vital in understanding energy transition, for instance, in the
post-Communist states of Eastern and Central Europe (ECE), energy
developments have focused on the geographical position of these countries between exporting states of the former Soviet Union, on the one
hand, and the energy-importing states of Western and Southern Europe,
on the other; thus, the energy transition has in the past focused on
introducing competition in the energy sector through liberalization.
37
The energy transition is therefore influenced by various factors
including geography; social and economic situation; political climate;
availability of energy resources; the country’s energy strategy. Recognizing
the differences in societies, literature has flourished discussing terms such
as energy justice, climate justice and just transition. Climate justice takes
into account the need to share the benefits and burdens of climate change
from a human rights perspective; energy justice refers to the application
of human rights across the energy lifecycle
38 : and environmental justice
aims to treat all citizens equally and to involve them in the development,
35 Cambridge English Dictionary, https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/transition.
Last accessed on 12 April 2020
36 International Renewable Energy Agency. 2018. Energy Transition. https://www.irena.org/ene
rgytransition.
37 Bridge, G., Bouzarovski, S., Bradshaw, M. and Eyre, N., 2013. Geographies of Energy
Transition: Space, Place and the Low-Carbon Economy. Energy Policy 53: 331–340.
38 Jenkins, K., McCauley, D., Heffron, R., Stephan, H. and Rehner, R. 2016. Energy Justice:
A Conceptual Review. Energy Research & Social Science 11: 174–182; Sovacool, B.K. and
Dworkin, M.H., 2015. Energy Justice: Conceptual Insights and Practical Applications. Applied
Energy 142: 435–444.
V. R. Nalule
defines ‘transition’ as ‘a change from one form or type to another, or the
process by which this happens’.
35
There is no agreed definition of the term energy transition. The
International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), for instance, defines
energy transition as a pathway towards the transformation of the global
energy sector from fossil-based to zero-carbon by the second half of
this century. According to IRENA, the focus of this transition is to
tackle climate change by reducing energy-related CO 2 emissions and
thereby increasing renewable energy and energy efficiency measures while
at the same time reducing the consumption of fossil fuels.
36 Geography is vital in understanding energy transition, for instance, in the
post-Communist states of Eastern and Central Europe (ECE), energy
developments have focused on the geographical position of these countries between exporting states of the former Soviet Union, on the one
hand, and the energy-importing states of Western and Southern Europe,
on the other; thus, the energy transition has in the past focused on
introducing competition in the energy sector through liberalization.
37
The energy transition is therefore influenced by various factors
including geography; social and economic situation; political climate;
availability of energy resources; the country’s energy strategy. Recognizing
the differences in societies, literature has flourished discussing terms such
as energy justice, climate justice and just transition. Climate justice takes
into account the need to share the benefits and burdens of climate change
from a human rights perspective; energy justice refers to the application
of human rights across the energy lifecycle
38 : and environmental justice
aims to treat all citizens equally and to involve them in the development,
35 Cambridge English Dictionary, https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/transition.
Last accessed on 12 April 2020
36 International Renewable Energy Agency. 2018. Energy Transition. https://www.irena.org/ene
rgytransition.
37 Bridge, G., Bouzarovski, S., Bradshaw, M. and Eyre, N., 2013. Geographies of Energy
Transition: Space, Place and the Low-Carbon Economy. Energy Policy 53: 331–340.
38 Jenkins, K., McCauley, D., Heffron, R., Stephan, H. and Rehner, R. 2016. Energy Justice:
A Conceptual Review. Energy Research & Social Science 11: 174–182; Sovacool, B.K. and
Dworkin, M.H., 2015. Energy Justice: Conceptual Insights and Practical Applications. Applied
Energy 142: 435–444.