Knowledge Tree
energy justice
Also known as: energy justice, global energy justice, energy justice frameworks, energy justice theory
Facts (32)
Sources
Energy Transition Literature - PSU Center for Energy Law and Policy celp.psu.edu May 20, 2024 9 facts
claimLin, Liou, and Chou (2020) assert that the theory of energy justice is connected to the principles of energy management.
perspectiveThe energy justice field has the potential to focus more attention on the poorest global regions and energy technologies such as nuclear power and carbon capture and storage (CCS).
claimThe authors propose alternative policy frameworks centered around energy justice in transition policy making to address large inequities in energy access.
referenceLacey-Barnacle, Robison, and Foulds (2020) suggest four developments for the energy justice field: (i) greater attention to spatial analyses of neglected regions; (ii) expanding the field to include nonwestern philosophical traditions; (iii) more work on applying tenets, frameworks, and principles specific to energy justice; and (iv) systems approaches to developed-developing country relations, with an emphasis on low-carbon transitions.
referenceSetyowati (2021) analyzes Indonesia's efforts to mobilize private finance for renewable rural electrification to advance energy justice and align with Sustainable Development Goal 7.
referenceKeady, Panikkar, Nelson, and Zia (2021) examined Vermont’s renewable energy policies to assess their impact on energy vulnerability and justice.
claimSetyowati (2021) suggests that energy policies must be designed and implemented holistically to address energy justice and energy poverty.
perspectiveCastán Broto et al. (2018) provide a postcolonial critique of energy justice theory, arguing that current theorizations of energy justice are built upon universalist notions of justice within a western tradition of thought.
claimThe theory of energy justice is connected with the principles of energy management.
Energy Equity and Just Transitions understand-energy.stanford.edu 9 facts
claimDrivers of energy justice include negative health and wildlife impacts from pollution, increased government environmental regulations, global renewable energy growth, and government commitments like the European Union's Just Transition Mechanism.
referenceEnergy justice encompasses four dimensions: reducing energy burden (the percentage of household income spent on energy bills), alleviating energy insecurity (hardships households face meeting basic needs), alleviating energy poverty (lack of access to energy resources), and advancing energy democracy (empowering communities to shape their energy future).
claimEnergy justice ensures access to affordable, safe, sustainable energy and empowers communities to lead energy decision-making processes.
claimThe four core tenets of energy justice are distributive justice, procedural justice, recognition justice, and restorative justice, which together form a framework to identify injustices and understand affected populations.
claimBarriers to energy justice include the continued construction and use of polluting sources like coal plants, entrenched dependence on fossil fuels, global pushback against emission reduction actions, and concerns regarding renewable energy reliability and environmental impacts.
claimA just transition exists at the intersection of the energy transition, energy justice, and sustainable development, embedding equity and justice in the planning, implementation, and assessment of energy system changes to create an energy system that meets the needs of all for generations to come.
claimThe four tenets of energy justice (distributive, procedural, recognition, and restorative) are deeply interdependent and difficult to apply in isolation; for example, improving procedural justice requires the proper recognition of stakeholders.
perspectiveEnergy transitions do not inherently eliminate barriers to energy justice and can introduce new ones.
claimEnergy justice is rooted in the traditions of environmental justice and climate change movements and is integral to the just transition by transforming the current extractive energy system through cooperation and regeneration.
Navigating Tensions in Just Energy Transitions kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu Aug 20, 2025 7 facts
claimEnergy justice frameworks are used as policy structures at various scales, including by the European Environment Agency (2023) and for communities as described by Forman (2017).
referenceThe Lawyer Africa published an article titled 'The concept of energy justice' in 2024.
referenceEnergy justice frameworks utilize a tenet approach where transitions are constrained or enabled by three factors: distributional justice (infrastructure siting and energy access), justice as recognition (who is affected and who is marginalized), and procedural justice (the fairness of decision-making processes).
referenceL.M. Santos Ayllón and K. Jenkins published 'Energy justice, Just Transitions and Scottish energy policy: A re-grounding of theory in policy practice' in the journal Energy Research and Social Science in 2023.
referenceForman, A. authored the 2017 article 'Energy justice at the end of the wire: Enacting community energy and equity in Wales' published in Energy Policy 107: 649–657.
referenceJenkins, McCauley, and Forman (2017) proposed a policy approach for integrating energy justice into energy policy.
referenceMcCauley, D. and R. Heffron published 'Just Transition: Integrating climate, energy and environmental justice' in the journal Energy Policy in 2018.
Energy asset stranding in resource-rich developing countries and ... frontiersin.org Jun 10, 2024 4 facts
referenceSovacool B. K. and Scarpaci J. (2016) analyzed the Yasuní–ITT Initiative in Ecuador to provide policy insights on energy justice and the contested petroleum politics of stranded assets in Energy Policy.
claimCairney et al. (2023) suggest that considering energy justice aspects is relevant for policy makers.
claimRoos and Hoffart (2021) suggest that considering energy justice aspects is part of the social responsibility of economists.
referenceTobias Kalt, J. Simon, J. Tunn, and J. Hennig's 2023 article, 'Between green extractivism and energy justice: competing strategies in South Africa's hydrogen transition in the context of climate crisis', analyzes the tension between green extractivism and energy justice in South Africa's hydrogen transition.
Geopolitics of the energy transition: between global challenges and ... geoprogress-edition.eu Oct 26, 2025 2 facts
claimThe International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) supports initiatives to diversify supply sources and develop industrial capacities in developing countries to contribute to global energy justice.
referenceHealy and Barry (2017) analyze the politicization of energy justice and energy system transitions, specifically focusing on fossil fuel divestment and the concept of a 'just transition'.
Realist Review on Just Transition Towards Low Emission, Climate ... link.springer.com Jan 5, 2026 1 fact
referenceKatharina Wiese published a study in 2020 titled 'Energy 4 All? Investigating Gendered Energy Justice Implications of Community-Based Micro-hydropower Cooperatives in Ethiopia', which explores the gendered impacts of energy justice in micro-hydropower projects.