Berlin On the Political Economy of Coal Transitions - A multimethod Study
Climate change constitutes a severe threat, especially for countries of the Global South and marginalised groups. Coal-fired power generation is one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions and thus displays a promising entry point for climate policies. Many case studies have analysed coal transitions; however the gained experience widely remains disregarded. In my thesis I first synthesize studies to provide an overview of the available literature using a systematic map methodology. The outcome shall highlight the current knowledge about barriers and drivers for energy transitions. The results are intended to shed light on potential entry points for climate policies. Second, I look into the political economy of coal on a national level. For this reason, I conduct a case study on the Philippines by means of semi structured stakeholder interviews complemented by secondary research based on existing documents. The analysis focuses on key actors, their objectives and how they shape policymaking. The data will provide the basis for a discourse analysis applying a methodology which I develop as the third pillar of the thesis. The research provides information about discourse coalitions, networks and power relations. All three studies shed light on the political economy of coal transitions, their feasibility and effectiveness and provide methodologies for future research.