Wasting Democracy, Fueling Dissent:Refuse-Derived Fuels in Can Sant Joan (Catalonia)

The cement industry is one of the most energy intensive in the world, contributing significantly to global greenhouse gas emissions. The use of refuse-derived fuels (RDF) in cement kilns is increasingly portrayed as a sustainable solution to reduce emissions while dealing with different types of waste. Nevertheless, the use of RDF in cement plants is contested by communities around the world, who are facing immediate environmental impacts. In this article, we examine the burgeoning movement against waste incineration in cement kilns legitimized as energy recovery. We start by revisiting the environmental justice literature, which laid the groundwork for the contemporary anti-RDF movement. Then, in order to highlight the energy dimension of RDF we focus on two energy-related concepts: energy justice and energy democracy. Through the case study of Can Sant Joan (Catalonia), we assess the suitability and usefulness of these concepts with the local movement against waste incineration. Our analysis suggests that the movement against RDF use can be further energized and strengthened by expanding into the realm of energy democracy. Both the anti-RDF and the energy democracy movement share a focus on the local scale, have similar typology of stakeholders involved, and favor a strong bottom-up approach while paying attention to unequal power relations. We also observe that these movements can mutually benefit from being better integrated with one another. Finally, we propose that a potential alliance between the Plataforma Antiincineració de Montcada i Reixac (PAMiR) and the Xarxa per la Sobirania Energètica (Xse) in Catalonia, can mobilize fruitful internal tensions toward a more inclusive and democratic future

What Does It Mean to Win? Revisiting Environmental Movements in Turkey

Environmental conflicts manifest across various scales and transcend temporal and spatial boundaries as societies seek new materials and energy sources to sustain growth-dependent economies. The increased visibility and politicisation of socio-environmental issues in Turkey have accentuated the dichotomy of winners and losers in these disputes. In this chapter, we offer a snapshot of environmental movements in the country with a focus on the idea of winning and losing. Despite historical tensions related to developmentalism, Erdoğan’s administration catalysed both the emergence and evolution of place-based environmental movements opposing state-backed energy and mining expansions. However, there is now a notable increase in environmental conflicts nationwide, coinciding with the erosion of legal safeguards for the non-human environment. While some of these movements achieved tangible successes in halting or altering environmentally destructive projects, others appear to have fallen short of their immediate goals. We argue that even seemingly unsuccessful movements can contribute significantly to a broader societal transformation. Thanks to these movements, environmental concerns, once relegated to the fringes of political debate, are now being more and more mainstreamed into oppositional politics, which face significant constraints. Our findings suggest the rise of antagonistic and intersectional environmental politics as a means of expressing broader societal dissent. Our hope here is to contribute to a deeper understanding of environmental activism and its political role in contemporary Turkey

Zero carbon, some nuisance:Exploring the viewpoints of heat pump owners and their neighbors in Groningen, Netherlands

The domestic use of natural gas for heating is the prevalent option in the Netherlands. However, heat pumps will be mandatory in most Dutch households by 2026. Therefore, insights are needed in how citizens perceive this technology, by taking into account various societal, technological, economic, environmental, and political aspects. Our research offers a systematic investigation of the multiple viewpoints of heat pump users and their neighbors in Groningen, northern Netherlands. Using Q-methodology, we identified three distinct but interrelated and shared viewpoints: the realistic users, the hesitant neighbors and the enthusiastic advocates. All three shared viewpoints incorporate social influence and cognitive considerations, with the positive environmental impacts of heat pumps being highlighted in unison. Cognitive considerations relate mainly to technical and economic concerns. Social influence considerations often hint at the necessity of making prior agreements with the neighbors. We argue that the findings of this study can support policymakers toward the development of an integrated heat transition strategy

Zero carbon, some nuisance:Exploring the viewpoints of heat pump owners and their neighbors in Groningen, Netherlands

The domestic use of natural gas for heating is the prevalent option in the Netherlands. However, heat pumps will be mandatory in most Dutch households by 2026. Therefore, insights are needed in how citizens perceive this technology, by taking into account various societal, technological, economic, environmental, and political aspects. Our research offers a systematic investigation of the multiple viewpoints of heat pump users and their neighbors in Groningen, northern Netherlands. Using Q-methodology, we identified three distinct but interrelated and shared viewpoints: the realistic users, the hesitant neighbors and the enthusiastic advocates. All three shared viewpoints incorporate social influence and cognitive considerations, with the positive environmental impacts of heat pumps being highlighted in unison. Cognitive considerations relate mainly to technical and economic concerns. Social influence considerations often hint at the necessity of making prior agreements with the neighbors. We argue that the findings of this study can support policymakers toward the development of an integrated heat transition strategy