Gloria Amoruso

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 the world’s GHG emissions, a percentage that is estimated to grow. (UN Habitat 2011) It is indispensable to recognize the need for climate change mitigation on the urban level. The cities’ importance is also linked to the municipalities’ legislative power over some of the most important sectors causing the emissions. (Bulkeley 2013) The building sector – corresponding to about 40% of the global final energy consumption – plays a crucial role. On the one hand, it is related to a huge potential for emissions’ reductions, on the other hand it is dominated by strong conflict lines when it comes to the actual implementation of housing mitigation measures in a society of inequalities.

In the context of a dissertation project, an in-depth case study analysis of Berlin in a multi-level perspective addresses the following rather exploratory research questions: Is a fair energy transition in the building sector in a city like Berlin feasible? Why is it feasible despite the dichotomy of socially just housing versus climate-friendly buildings?

The theoretical interest points at combining the governance modes in the cities and climate change literature (Bulkeley 2013; Kern/Gotelind 2008) with the different concepts of social justice (Walker/Day 2012) and Polycentric Governance (Ostrom 1990, Ostrom 2005).

The empirical qualitative data derives from three phases of data collection and analysis following the Grounded Theory Methodology: documented observations, field visits and semi-structured stakeholder-interviews. At this juncture, the transition process will be assessed through the different stakeholder’s perspectives in correlation to the Berlin-specific structural challenges.

Objective of this research is to draw conclusions concerning the successful management of the energy transition in the building sector in a context of social inequalities.