An interdisciplinary understanding of energy citizenship: Integrating psychological, legal, and economic perspectives on a citizen-centred sustainable energy transition

Author(s)

Karen R.S. Hamann, Maria P. Bertel, Bożena Ryszawska, Brigitta Lurger, Piotr Szymański, Magdalena Rozwadowska, Fleur Goedkoop, Lise Jans, Goda Perlaviciute, Torsten Masson, Immo Fritsche, Tamara Favaro, Annemarie Hofer, Iris Eisenberger, Celin Gutschi, Carla Grosche, Johanna Held, Ursula Athenstaedt, Katja Corcoran

Abstract

Energy citizenship is an emerging concept in policy and practice. Yet scientific theorising around energy citizenship is scarce, and rarely bundled in interdisciplinary discourse. In this article, we present an interdisciplinary definition of energy citizenship as people's rights to and responsibilities for a just and sustainable energy transition. Energy citizenship contains multiple aspects and allows for various approaches, of which we zoom into psychological, legal, and economic perspectives on the topic. From a psychological perspective, we construct an empirically testable sub-definition of energy citizenship based on previous psychological theorising. A legal perspective shows, exemplarily for the EU context, that energy citizenship qualifies as an EU citizenship because it consists of a bundle of rights and duties of the individual in the context of a committed, just and sustainable energy transition. An economic perspective reveals how energy citizenship already takes shape in current EU directives, and how this implies a new – more collectivist – economic model. Drawing on the three perspectives, we then sketch energy citizenship as an interdisciplinary research field. As a conclusion, we present a transdisciplinary definition of energy citizenship that is suitable for policy makers, energy communities and citizens, as it explicates a co-responsible process of people and governments.

Organisation(s)

Department of Innovation and Digitalisation in Law

External organisation(s)

Universität Leipzig, Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz, Wroclaw University of Economics and Business, University of Groningen, University of Pisa

Journal

Energy Research & Social Science

Volume

97

No. of pages

18

ISSN

2214-6326

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2023.102959

Publication date

03-2023

Peer reviewed

Yes

Austrian Fields of Science 2012

505012 Public law, 504030 Economic sociology

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Energy Engineering and Power Technology, Fuel Technology, Nuclear Energy and Engineering, Social Sciences (miscellaneous), Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy

Portal url

https://ucris.univie.ac.at/portal/en/publications/an-interdisciplinary-understanding-of-energy-citizenship-integrating-psychological-legal-and-economic-perspectives-on-a-citizencentred-sustainable-energy-transition(e65424c6-d64b-4527-9033-09d226ccafd8).html