What are the challenges and opportunities for enhancing citizen participation at local level in the Spanish Energy Transition, taking the case of San Fernando de Henares?
Author
Sotomayor Rodriguez, Maite Adriana
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2019
Pages
94
Abstract
This thesis investigates the challenges and opportunities for strengthening citizen participation in the local dimension of Spain’s energy transition, using San Fernando de Henares as a case. It situates the climate crisis and the need for energy efficiency and renewable energy within a broader societal context and focuses on the often overlooked socio-cultural dimension. Methodologically, it is an exploratory, inductive, qualitative case study combining interviews, document and literature review, blogs and news, and site visits and observation. The analysis draws on city energy transition frameworks, governance and public participation theory (including participation ladders), and Actor-Network Theory. Findings indicate that the energy transition in San Fernando de Henares is currently inactive, public participation is weak, and local governance is unstable. Municipal debt does not appear to be the real barrier; rather, regulatory and market constraints and the degree to which the local government prioritizes energy transition investments are decisive. Creativity and innovation in using resources, along with active citizen involvement throughout the process, emerge as critical drivers. Comparative insights from the Vilawatt (Viladecans) and Rubí Brilla (Rubí) projects highlight practical pathways and potentials to activate the local energy transition.
Denne afhandling undersøger, hvilke udfordringer og muligheder der findes for at styrke borgerinddragelse i den lokale del af den spanske energitransition med San Fernando de Henares som case. Studien placerer klimakrisen og behovet for energieffektivitet og vedvarende energi i en bred samfundsmæssig ramme og fokuserer på den ofte oversete socio-kulturelle dimension. Metodisk er den et eksplorativt, induktivt, kvalitativt casestudie, der kombinerer interviews, dokument- og litteraturstudier, blogs og nyheder samt feltbesøg og observation. Analysen er forankret i byers energitransitionsrammer, governance- og borgerdeltagelsesteori (herunder deltagelsestrapper) samt aktør-netværksteori. Resultaterne peger på, at energitransitionen i San Fernando de Henares aktuelt ikke er aktiv, at borgerdeltagelsen er svag, og at den kommunale styring er præget af ustabilitet. Kommunal gæld fremstår ikke som den reelle barriere; snarere udgør regulative og markedsmæssige forhold samt den lokale politiske prioritering hovedudfordringerne. Kreativitet og innovation i ressourceanvendelsen og en tidlig og vedvarende inddragelse af borgere i hele processen vurderes som afgørende drivkræfter. Sammenligninger med projekterne Vilawatt (Viladecans) og Rubí Brilla (Rubí) synliggør konkrete handlemuligheder og potentialer for at aktivere den lokale energitransition.
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