Local Policy Networks : Actors, Challenges and Cooperation in the Case of the German Energy Transition

Abstract

The German Energiewende is a project of national concern. The term subsumes Germany's efforts to transform the energy system towards a green energy supply. Moreover, it represents the German response to major national and global challenges, and aims to sustain the challenged German forerunner position in supporting green technologies. Major policy problems that are addressed with this far-reaching project are the global climate change, the corresponding need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as well as Germany's over dependence on foreign energy resources, and the wish to opt out of nuclear energy. This thesis follows current research findings, in arguing that urban as well as rural areas are decisive for a successful transition process and moreover, the renunciation from fossil fuels, nationally as well as globally. An orchestration of the opportunities and challenges that both types of areas face, will be crucial for an affordable, secure, and sustainable energy provision. Rural counties as well as urban areas vary distinctively in the extent to which they address sustainability, climate change, and energy related challenges. This thesis applies a relational perspective to add to the evolving body of literature which analyzes what determines the distinct local energy policy-making processes and outcomes. Therefore, this thesis combines the encompassing policy subsystem view of the Advocacy Coalition Framework with the study of policy networks, and understands policy-making as the interplay of diverse actors who collaborate in order to shape policy outcomes around a certain policy problem in their favor. This thesis aims to describe, characterize, and compare local energy policy subsystems, focusing on three central elements of policy subsystems: Actors, problems, and collaboration. A mixed-methods design is applied in order to study regional similarities and differences in who participates in the process, which policy problems are (perceived as) salient, and how discourses and collaboration evolve over time. Data was collected through a Discourse Network Analysis as well as with an online survey, questioning actors actively engaged in local energy policy-making. A comparative research design was chosen in order to identify similarities and differences between urban and rural areas as well as between those counties that are more and those counties that are less successful in implementing the energy transition. The results show that differences between urban and rural areas exist, concerning the composition of actors and their presence in the discourse as well as regarding the policy issues that are perceived to be salient. Furthermore, the results indicate that the development of network structures differs between successful and less successful counties, and that belief similarity and perceived agreement are drivers of collaboration within local energy policy networks.