Ph.D. Title: A fair and participatory energy transition in a city of inequalities? Local cases from the built environment of Berlin’s energy transition
Cities are responsible for nearly 70% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and this percentage is expected to rise (UN Habitat 2011). It is essential to recognize the need for climate action at the urban level. The importance of cities is also linked to the legislative power of local authorities over some of the key sectors responsible for emissions. (Bulkeley 2013) The building sector, which accounts for about 40% of global final energy consumption, plays a crucial role. On the one hand, it offers enormous potential for emissions reductions, but on the other hand, it is characterized by strong lines of conflict when it comes to the actual implementation of climate protection measures in housing construction in a society marked by inequalities.
As part of a dissertation project, an in-depth case study analysis of Berlin from a multi-level perspective addresses the following rather exploratory research questions: Is a just energy transition in the construction sector feasible in a city like Berlin? Why is it feasible despite the dichotomy between socially just housing and climate-friendly buildings?
The theoretical interest lies in combining governance models in urban and climate change literature (Bulkeley 2013; Kern/Gotelind 2008) with various concepts of social justice (Walker/Day 2012) and polycentric governance (Ostrom 1990, Ostrom 2005).
The empirical qualitative data comes from three phases of data collection and analysis according to grounded theory methodology: documented observations, field visits, and semi-structured stakeholder interviews. At this point, the transition process is evaluated based on the different perspectives of stakeholders in correlation with the structural challenges specific to Berlin.
The aim of this research is to draw conclusions about the successful management of the energy transition in the building sector in the context of social inequalities.