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An agenda for future Social Sciences and Humanities research on energy efficiency: 100 priority research questions

Author

Listed:
  • Chris Foulds

    (Anglia Ruskin University)

  • Sarah Royston

    (Anglia Ruskin University)

  • Thomas Berker

    (Norwegian University of Science and Technology)

  • Efi Nakopoulou

    (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens)

  • Zareen Pervez Bharucha

    (Anglia Ruskin University)

  • Rosie Robison

    (Anglia Ruskin University)

  • Simone Abram

    (Durham University)

  • Branko Ančić

    (Institute for Social Research in Zagreb)

  • Stathis Arapostathis

    (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens)

  • Gabriel Badescu

    (Babeş-Bolyai University of Cluj)

  • Richard Bull

    (Nottingham Trent University)

  • Jed Cohen

    (Salt River Project Integrated System Planning & Support)

  • Tessa Dunlop

    (Directorate-General Joint Research Centre)

  • Niall Dunphy

    (University College Cork)

  • Claire Dupont

    (Ghent University)

  • Corinna Fischer

    (Oeko-Institut e.V.)

  • Kirsten Gram-Hanssen

    (Aalborg University Copenhagen)

  • Catherine Grandclément

    (Électricité de France (EDF))

  • Eva Heiskanen

    (University of Helsinki)

  • Nicola Labanca

    (Independent Researcher)

  • Maria Jeliazkova

    (Bulgarian Academy of Sciences)

  • Helge Jörgens

    (Iscte—Instituto Universitário de Lisboa)

  • Margit Keller

    (University of Tartu)

  • Florian Kern

    (Institute for Ecological Economy Research)

  • Patrizia Lombardi

    (Politecnico di Torino)

  • Ruth Mourik

    (DuneWorks)

  • Michael Ornetzeder

    (Austrian Academy of Sciences)

  • Peter J. G. Pearson

    (Imperial College London
    Cardiff University)

  • Harald Rohracher

    (Linköping University)

  • Marlyne Sahakian

    (University of Geneva)

  • Ramazan Sari

    (Technical University of Denmark)

  • Karina Standal

    (CICERO—Center for International Climate Research)

  • Lidija Živčič

    (Focus Association for Sustainable Development)

Abstract

Decades of techno-economic energy policymaking and research have meant evidence from the Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH)—including critical reflections on what changing a society’s relation to energy (efficiency) even means—have been underutilised. In particular, (i) the SSH have too often been sidelined and/or narrowly pigeonholed by policymakers, funders, and other decision-makers when driving research agendas, and (ii) the setting of SSH-focused research agendas has not historically embedded inclusive and deliberative processes. The aim of this paper is to address these gaps through the production of a research agenda outlining future SSH research priorities for energy efficiency. A Horizon Scanning exercise was run, which sought to identify 100 priority SSH questions for energy efficiency research. This exercise included 152 researchers with prior SSH expertise on energy efficiency, who together spanned 62 (sub-)disciplines of SSH, 23 countries, and a full range of career stages. The resultant questions were inductively clustered into seven themes as follows: (1) Citizenship, engagement and knowledge exchange in relation to energy efficiency; (2) Energy efficiency in relation to equity, justice, poverty and vulnerability; (3) Energy efficiency in relation to everyday life and practices of energy consumption and production; (4) Framing, defining and measuring energy efficiency; (5) Governance, policy and political issues around energy efficiency; (6) Roles of economic systems, supply chains and financial mechanisms in improving energy efficiency; and (7) The interactions, unintended consequences and rebound effects of energy efficiency interventions. Given the consistent centrality of energy efficiency in policy programmes, this paper highlights that well-developed SSH approaches are ready to be mobilised to contribute to the development, and/or to understand the implications, of energy efficiency measures and governance solutions. Implicitly, it also emphasises the heterogeneity of SSH policy evidence that can be produced. The agenda will be of use for both (1) those new to the energy-SSH field (including policyworkers), for learnings on the capabilities and capacities of energy-SSH, and (2) established energy-SSH researchers, for insights on the collectively held futures of energy-SSH research.

Suggested Citation

  • Chris Foulds & Sarah Royston & Thomas Berker & Efi Nakopoulou & Zareen Pervez Bharucha & Rosie Robison & Simone Abram & Branko Ančić & Stathis Arapostathis & Gabriel Badescu & Richard Bull & Jed Cohen, 2022. "An agenda for future Social Sciences and Humanities research on energy efficiency: 100 priority research questions," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 9(1), pages 1-18, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:palcom:v:9:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1057_s41599-022-01243-z
    DOI: 10.1057/s41599-022-01243-z
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    1. Esther Oliver & Gisela Redondo-Sama & Ane López Aguileta & Ana Burgues-Freitas, 2023. "Research agenda to engage citizens in science through social media communicative observations," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-4, December.

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