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KLIMAFORSK-Stort program klima

Responsive Organising for Low Emission Societies - ROLES

Alternative title: Responsiv organisering for lavutslippssamfunn

Awarded: NOK 3.0 mill.

ROLES (https://jpi-climate.eu/project/roles/) aimed to identify how European city-regions can accelerate decarbonisation of energy systems through digitalisation of energy infrastructure in ways that create societal benefits. Despite citizen aspirations to decarbonise society, actions that decarbonise in just ways face structural limits. Nascent research frames the failure to accelerate deep decarbonisation as a crisis of accountability. Lack of accountability in digitalising energy infrastructure can exacerbate social exclusion and risks inequitable extraction and use of data. ROLES developed strategies for responsive organising of citizen agency to tackle such accountability crises through customisable pathways in city-regions. It examined digitalisation of energy infrastructure in mid-sized (population 100,000-300,000) European city-regions. It identified pro-poor and climate-friendly pathways to digitalise energy infrastructure for electric mobility hubs in Bergen, solar energy neighbourhoods in Brighton, and smart energy monitoring in Trento. Using multi-stakeholder interviews and small-scale surveys with government, business, civil society, and marginalised groups, the project co-produced structured, in-depth knowledge about digitalisation needs and initiatives in each city-region. This includes the range of policy mixes and citizens' coping strategies and modes of engagement. Next, ROLES identified constraining and enabling conditions for rapid diffusion of digitalisation along these pathways. It involved stakeholders in deliberations at public events to develop pathways to accelerate deep decarbonisation through digitalisation. Analysis of power relationships identified political economic dynamics for each pathway. Research outputs discuss dynamics of responsive organising in and across the cases. Finally, the project developed a toolkit on responsive organising to accelerate the digitalisation of energy infrastructure for deep decarbonisation in mid-sized European city-regions, and promoted research dissemination through a short film. Publications are accessible here: https://prosjektbanken.forskningsradet.no/en/project/FORISS/321421 with details via the website: https://roles.w.uib.no

We specify project outcomes and impacts in terms of three phases. Phase I: Each team implemented semi-structured interviews on policy mixes for digitalisation, modes of citizen engagement and coping strategies, then identified DDD pathways. Outcome: Knowledge co-produced with multi-stakeholders to identify DDD pathways in three case studies. Phase II: Each team discussed the DDD pathways with multi-stakeholders using power cube analysis to co-create comparable analysis on institutional enablements, constraints and power dynamics for each pathway. Outcome: Power cube analysis of DDD pathways in three cases with public deliberation and insights on socially just energy digitalisation. Phase III: We combined evidence from cases to co-design a toolkit on responsive organising for twin transitions, and derived insights to accelerate their diffusion and advance ‘power-aware’ perspectives. Outcomes: Responsive organising toolkit to accelerate diffusion of digitalisation of energy systems in European city-regions.

ROLES aims to identify how European city-regions can accelerate decarbonisation of energy systems through digitalisation of energy infrastructure in ways that create societal benefits. Despite citizen aspirations to decarbonise society, actions that decarbonise in just ways face structural limits. Nascent research frames the failure to accelerate deep decarbonisation as a crisis of accountability. Lack of accountability in digitalising energy infrastructure can exacerbate social exclusion and risks inequitable extraction and use of data. ROLES develops strategies for responsive organising of citizen agency to tackle such accountability crises through customisable pathways in city-regions. It examines digitalisation of energy infrastructure in three mid-sized (population 100,000-300,000) European city-regions. Phase I of III identifies pro-poor and climate-friendly pathways to digitalise energy infrastructure for electric mobility hubs in Bergen, solar energy neighbourhoods in Brighton, and smart energy monitoring in Trento. Using multi-stakeholder interviews and small-scale surveys (n=30*3) with government, business, civil society, and marginalised groups, it co-produces structured, in-depth knowledge about digitalisation needs and initiatives in each city-region, including the range of policy mixes and citizens’ coping strategies and modes of engagement. Phase II identifies constraining and enabling conditions for rapid diffusion of digitalisation along these pathways. It involves these stakeholders in deliberations at public events to develop pathways to accelerate deep decarbonisation through digitalisation. This employs power cube analysis to identify political economic power dynamics for each pathway. Phase III delivers a toolkit on responsive organising to accelerate the digitalisation of energy infrastructure for deep decarbonisation in mid-sized European city-regions. Academic outputs will discuss dynamics of responsive organising in and across the cases.

Funding scheme:

KLIMAFORSK-Stort program klima