Energy infrastructure development for a low carbon world 2014 - rj heffron

Energy Infrastructure Development for a Low-Carbon World “Energy and the City” March 18th 2014 Scottish Cities Knowledge Centre Aberdeen

Dr. Raphael Heffron, Lecturer in Law

Barrister-at-Law, Honourable Society of King’s Inns Programme Director for the LLM in International Energy Law and Policy

Associate Researcher of the Energy Policy Research Group, University of Cambridge Consulted for World Bank and London Thinktanks

Energy Infrastructure Development for a Low-Carbon World

Outline 1. Energy and the City

2. Developing New Energy Infrastructure 3. Securing New Low-Carbon Energy Infrastructure 4. Conclusion - What Next?

Energy Infrastructure Development for a Low-Carbon World

1. Energy and the City

A. City key places WHO, 2011 – 3.4bn 2009 – 6.4bn 2050 B. Energy policy yet to fully reflect this C. Grid Development - EU Focus on cross border (£6bn investment) D. Reliant on Technology Development - use of materials and energy efficiency

Energy Infrastructure Development for a Low-Carbon World

2. Developing New Energy Infrastructure A. Problem across the EU and US, and many other countries - UK - £115 billion B. Failure to secure finance despite changes in law and new subsidies C. Highlights issue in energy law and policy triangle D. Is the balance right?

Energy Infrastructure Development for a Low-Carbon World

Energy Law and Policy Triangle (Energy Trilemma) “Competing Demands”

Economics

Security of Supply

Energy Law & Policy

Environment

Energy Infrastructure Development for a Low-Carbon World

3. Securing New Low-Carbon Energy Infrastructure A. New approach needed for securing our Energy needs B. Balance the competing aims of the Energy Law and Policy Triangle - no longer the domain of economists C. Achieve this through – Energy Justice Framework D. Energy Justice and a focus on the City needed

Energy Infrastructure Development for a Low-Carbon World Energy Justice

Energy Law and Policy

Energy Justice

Energy Systems

Energy Infrastructure Development for a Low-Carbon World

Energy Justice 3 Core Tenets: (McCauley et al., 2013) Distributional Justice – fair allocation of costs and benefits Procedural Justice – stakeholder engagement/public participation Recognition Justice – human rights (inc. energy poverty) Core issue – involve public beyond Procedural Justice

Energy Infrastructure Development for a Low-Carbon World

Energy Justice and Energy Infrastructure Development Denmark - encourages (and imposes) public ownership (Heffron & McCauley, 2014) Austin - City ownership of grid system - Can choose which source of electricity on your bill Germany - City grids being considered for public ownership (Berlin) - Cost of renewables threatens affordability - Revision of energy policy? - Grid is being updated for low-carbon compatibility

Conclusion I

What is emerging? New low-carbon infrastructure needed and fast - New fossil fuel plants are on the increase Issue of ownership - Regeneration success (Heffron & Haynes, 2011) Leadership to provide clear direction - Lacking in UK regeneration (Heffron, 2014) Energy Justice provides a framework to build the debate

Conclusion II

•We view climate change problems within the environment and climate change within a justice framework – environmental justice, climate justice

•Yet not energy, yet more significant, as new energy infrastructure and the way we use energy contribute to improving environmental justice, and climate justice

•Reliance on economic thinking and large corporate ownership has not delivered

•Need to ensure energy justice framework applied and reduce the number of victims in the energy system – in extraction/production, operation, and waste management.

•Begin with the ‘City’

Thank You! Dr. Raphael Heffron BA, MA, Mlitt, MPhil, LLM, Barrister-at-Law, PhD [email protected]