Community knowledge networks: an action-orientated approach to energy research

Abstract

The Climate Change Act 2008 commits the UK to reducing carbon emissions by 80% of 1990 levels by 2050. With household emissions constituting more than a quarter of current total energy use in the UK, energy practices in the home have taken on increased policy attention. In this paper, we argue that the UK government's approach is founded upon a variant of methodological individualism that assumes that providing greater energy information to individuals will effect behaviour change in relation to energy use. Such an approach is potentially limited in its effectiveness and does not afford appropriate recognition to all those affected by energy policy. In contrast to this approach, we set out an alternative perspective, a community knowledge networks approach to energy and justice which recognises the contexts and relationships in which people live and use energy. Such an approach emphasises situated knowledge and practices in order to gain a greater understanding of how individuals and communities use energy, but, importantly, offers a means for affording greater recognitional justice to different social groups.

Energy justice: A conceptual review

“…Yet hardly any attempts were made to discover the motivations behind consumption patterns or to engage with their interpretation of energy-related issues, and what kind of improvements and strategies they would envision (Catney et al 2013). This failure to recognise specific groups not only creates injustice, but may also lead to the loss of potentially beneficial knowledge, values and stories, as we lose the insights of marginalized social groups (see section 4.1 below).…”

Economic Prescriptions and Public Responses to Climate Policy

“…Policies targeting voluntary efforts may not necessarily need to take place at the national level. Subnational and local actors, which likely enjoy more trust by communities, may be more effective in spurring cooperation (Catney et al 2013;Tavoni 2013). As shown by Blumer et al (2014) for Switzerland, local utilities can have an important role to play in reducing energy consumption, provided that they are given the right incentives.…”

Community energy initiatives to alleviate fuel poverty: the material politics of Energy Cafés

“…Conceptually, they criticise the notion that the local scale is more democratic, just, or more effective than other scales (Catney et al 2014). Catney et al (2013) also emphasise that the politics inherent in how community energy projects targeting hard-pressed communities can represent forms of cultural domination. Along these lines, Catney et al (2014), as well as Amin (2005), raise questions about central government's moralising expectations towards disadvantaged communities: through community programmes, such communities are expected to become more morally upright, conformist and better organised in managing their resources (echoing the Resource Man argument made by Stengers 2014).…”

“…For whom are they designed, by whom and who benefits (see, for example, Walker and Devine-Wright 2008)? Are some people imposing their conception of order on others (Catney et al 2013)?…”

“…local self-reliance, serves as a justification for austerity measures. Catney et al (2013) also point out that many community energy projects tend to operate from a "deficit model", which fails to recognise people's pre-existing knowledge, networks and practices. This is one way in which community energy projects can be political, but we suggest that there might be others as well.…”