Author(s)

VIRGINIA DICUONZO, FEDERICA RAGAZZO

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to present the methodology used within the framework of ENTRACK, EU-funded LIFE project for technical support to clean energy transition plans (CETPs) in eight rural municipalities in Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain. The methodology employs participatory approaches including multi-actor perspective analysis, empowerment evaluation and participatory ethnography. In order to reach the project’s final goal, the activities stemmed from an initial comprehensive taxonomy and analysis of social energy policies from the European Union down to the municipal level. Simultaneously, a structured approach was adopted for stakeholders’ mapping across the quadruple helix to develop pathways for their engagement and their level of commitment. Consequently, to facilitate structured dialogue among diverse stakeholders on the CETPs and related topics, one municipality-region partnership (MRP) was established per pilot country. The role of the MRP is mainly to foster the co-design of CETPs by gathering public–private actors involved in or affected by energy policies such as institutional entities, citizens and consumers associations, environmental associations and market actors. With the goal of determining the types of policies that the citizens consider appropriate for their own future, an ethnographic approach was adopted involving interviews led by climate explorers – individuals trained specifically for ENTRACK in ethnographically inspired interviewing techniques. This approach allowed us to understand citizens’ perceptions, needs and priorities in energy planning. Building on its results, policy actors were then guided in a self-evaluation process of the policies implemented, to assess the gap between the perceptions of citizens and policymakers. The results of the above-mentioned activities highlighted the need for greater levels of interaction with those negatively affected by the transition, and with the groups most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Moreover, they set the stage for the design of training modules that will support the capacity building of local governments and ultimately allow them to codesign and adopt inclusive and equitable CETPs.

Keywords

energy transition, capacity building, participatory framework, ethnography