Reflections from EnGRG’s ECR Conference on Just Transitions

Our One-day Online PGR and ECR Conference organised by Nivedita Singh was a resounding success, bringing together participants from Australia, the United States, Brazil, the United Kingdom, and Germany. The event featured eight speakers, each presenting exciting research that explored different dimensions of Just Transitions. Their contributions fostered dialogue on new and emerging methodologies, concepts and trajectories in the study of Justice and Energy Geographies.

The conference opened with a welcome note from Dr. Catherine Butler (Chair of EGRG), followed by inaugural remarks from Nivedita Singh (EnGRG PGR Rep). The eight speakers then delivered their presentations, complemented by insightful contributions from discussants Ami Crowther and Josh Lait, whose thoughtful reflections helped to shape the day's exchanges.

Presentations:

"Empowering the Outer Hebrides – Examining the barriers to community energy development in Scottish islands" by Jasmin Rainero Glasgow Caledonian University.

"Place-Based Approach in Just Energy Transition: Voices of the Valley’s Path of Deliberative Empowerment through Participatory Governance Process" by Dr Kazi Haque Federation University Australia.

"Slipping into Fascism and the Atlantic Ocean: Submerged Perspectives in South Florida" by Alexander Veal Florida Atlantic University.

"Beyond NIMBY: Unpacking the Environmental and Social Concerns of Ground-Mounted Solar Energy in Massachusetts, USA" by Hemant Raj Ghimire, James McCarthy Clark University, Worcester, MA, USA.

"Scales of Discontent: State Constitutions, Municipal Sovereignty, and NIMBYism in Offshore Wind Transitions" by Robert T.F. Downes, Samuel Ayivi, Dr. Nathaniel Trumbull University of Connecticut.

"What can industrial workers teach us about winning a just transition?" by Nicole Kleinheisterkamp Gonzalez Syracuse University.

"The Decarbonisation Divide: A political economy approach to energy justice" by Uttara Narayan University of Manchester.

"Imaging just industrial futures" by Clair Cooper, Cotton, Matthew, Towers, Lee and Milner, Jake Teesside University

"Planning hydrogen in Latin America. Strategies and social dimensions from an energy justice approach" by Duilio Lorenzo Calcagno National Technological University of Argentina.

The event concluded with closing remarks by Nivedita Singh, bringing to an end a day of rich exchange on the future of just transitions research. On behalf of the EnGRG committee, thank you to Nivedita, our speakers and all the attendees for making it such a thought provoking day!