The article “The methodologies, geographies, and Technologies of Energy Justice: A Systematic and Comprehensive Review” explores the rapidly expanding energy justice field. Recognizing the paucity of systematic reflection on the vast research conducted in this domain, its overall breadth, contribution, and prospective future implications, the authors embark on a comprehensive review of 155 peer-reviewed articles spanning from 2008 to 2019.
The objective of the Study:
- Assess the Current State of Energy Justice Literature: The researchers first sought to take a comprehensive look at the existing academic literature on energy justice. This involves understanding the topics covered, the perspectives taken, and the gaps that might exist. They aim to grasp the current discourse, depth, breadth, and nuances by gauging the present landscape.
- Provide Recommendations to Enhance Impact: The second part of their objective was more forward-looking. They wanted to provide suggestions that could boost the influence of research on energy justice. Specifically, they looked at how this research could be more impactful within sectors like economic policies and urban and regional planning. Essentially, they explored ways in which the insights from energy justice research could be better integrated into practical policy-making and planning decisions.
Key Findings:
- Lack of Diversity: The research highlighted a significant gap regarding diversity in energy justice literature. This refers to a limited range of voices and perspectives in the literature. For instance, it might mean that individuals from similar backgrounds are doing most of the work in this area or that the study methodologies are repetitive and do not offer varied insights.
- Growing Interest in Conceptual Frameworks: Despite the gap mentioned earlier, the literature has a rising trend focusing on building theoretical structures or frameworks around energy justice. These frameworks aim to offer more explicit definitions, understandings, and interpretations of what energy justice entails.
- Geographies and Technologies of Energy Injustice: Additionally, there is also an increasing interest in understanding the geographical implications of energy injustice — that is, how different regions, countries, or locales experience energy injustices differently. Similarly, there is a focus on the technological aspects, exploring how different energy technologies might contribute to or mitigate injustices on a global scale.
Author’s Credentials:
- Kirsten E H Jenkins: Affiliated with Science, Technology, and Innovation Studies at the University of Edinburgh.
- Benjamin K Sovacool: Associated with the Science and Policy Research Unit at the University of Sussex and the Centre for Energy Technologies at Aarhus University.
- Niek Mouter: Linked with the Transport and Logistics Group at the Technical University of Delft, The Netherlands.
- Nick Hacking: Affiliated with the School of Geography and Planning at the University of Cardiff.
- Mary-Kate Burns and Darren McCauley: Both from the Global Social Challenges Research Group at Erasmus University of Rotterdam.
Scope of the Study: The research dissects the current nuances of energy justice literature, examining its growth trajectories, methodologies, contributions, and prospective implications.
Methodology: A comprehensive and systematic review encompassed 155 peer-reviewed articles across eight databases from January 2008 to December 2019.
Findings: While the literature on energy justice indicates a conspicuous deficiency in diverse authorship and research methodologies, there needs to be a marked expansion in the domains of conceptual frameworks and discourses about the geographies and technologies tethered to global energy injustice. The research highlights the influential role of energy justice as a robust tool in scholarly endeavors, nudging researchers to adopt a reflexively normative perspective and actively spotlight injustices and vulnerabilities.
Insights Relevant to the Nuclear Activism Information Community: This article is invaluable for the nuclear activism information community. It provides a comprehensive overview of the evolving discourse on energy justice and emphasizes the ethical considerations and the importance of equitable practices within the energy sector. The findings concerning the absence of diverse authorship and research design can offer members of the nuclear activism community a reflective point to ensure their inclusive and comprehensive discourses. Furthermore, the burgeoning interest in conceptual frameworks about energy injustice can aid nuclear activists in framing their arguments and narratives, emphasizing the significance of nuclear energy within the broader spectrum of energy justice. The article equips nuclear activists with a foundational understanding of energy justice, offering them insights and tools to further their advocacy efforts.
While the research found an evident need for more diversity in the voices and methods contributing to energy justice literature, there is also a promising surge in efforts to define, understand, and address energy injustices from a theoretical and practical standpoint.
Reference
Jenkins, K. E. H., et al. (2021). The methodologies, geographies, and technologies of energy justice: a systematic and comprehensive review. Environmental Research Letters, 16(4), 043009. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/abd78c
Ángel Rafael Vázquez-Concepción 