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A Big Data View of the European Energy Union: Shifting from ‘a Floating Signifier’ to an Active Driver of Decarbonisation?

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Listed:
  • Karoliina Isoaho

    (Department of Social Research, University of Helsinki, Finland)

  • Fanni Moilanen

    (Department of Social Research, University of Helsinki, Finland)

  • Arho Toikka

    (Department of Social Research, University of Helsinki, Finland)

Abstract

The Energy Union, a major energy sector reform project launched by the European Commission in 2015, has substantial clean energy and climate aims. However, scholarly caution has been raised about their feasibility, especially with regards to accommodating climate objectives with other closely related yet often competing policy goals. We therefore investigated the policy priorities of the Energy Union by performing a topic modelling analysis of over 5,000 policy documents. A big data analysis confirms that decarbonisation and energy efficiency dimensions are major building blocks in the Energy Union’s agenda. Furthermore, there are signals of policy convergence in terms of climate security and climate affordability policies. However, our analysis also suggests that the Commission is not actively prescribing trajectories for renewable policy development or paying close attention to declining incumbent energy generation technologies. Overall, we find that the Energy Union is not a ‘floating signifier’ but rather has a clear and incrementally evolving decarbonisation agenda. Whether it further develops into an active driver of decarbonisation will largely be determined by the implementation phase of the project.

Suggested Citation

  • Karoliina Isoaho & Fanni Moilanen & Arho Toikka, 2019. "A Big Data View of the European Energy Union: Shifting from ‘a Floating Signifier’ to an Active Driver of Decarbonisation?," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 7(1), pages 28-44.
    • Handle: RePEc:cog:poango:v:7:y:2019:i:1:p:28-44
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    3. Sylvia Nissen & Raven Cretney, 2022. "Retrofitting an emergency approach to the climate crisis: A study of two climate emergency declarations in Aotearoa New Zealand," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 40(1), pages 340-356, February.
    4. Alves, Amanda M. & Brousseau, Eric & Mimouni, Nada & Yeung, Timothy Yu-Cheong, 2021. "Competing for policy: Lobbying in the EU wholesale roaming regulation," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(3).
    5. Kacper Szulecki & Dag Herald Claes, 2019. "Towards Decarbonization: Understanding EU Energy Governance," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 7(1), pages 1-5.
    6. Ryszard Pukala & Nadezda Kirillova & Alexey Dorozhkin, 2021. "Insurance Instruments in Estimating the Cost Energy Assets with Renewable Energy Sources," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-17, June.
    7. Holmgren, Sara & Pever, Maris & Fischer, Klara, 2019. "Constructing low-carbon futures? Competing storylines in the Estonian energy sector's translation of EU energy goals," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
    8. Roman Vavrek & Jana Chovancová, 2020. "Energy Performance of the European Union Countries in Terms of Reaching the European Energy Union Objectives," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-16, October.

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