New Paper: Engaging Communities Can Strengthen European Energy Policies

A special issue of the Journal of European Integration has been published, focusing on the relationship between democracy and the European Green Deal. It explores themes such as representation, participation, justice, and expertise in EU environmental policymaking.

One of the papers included in the special issue is from the SHARED GREEN DEAL project, authored by Emily Gray (University of Galway) and Rachel McArdle (University College Dublin), who review the European Green Deal’s energy strategies. 

The study, “Communities and the European Green Deal: opening ‘sites of struggle’ for a democratic energy transition” looks specifically at the European Green Deal, the Offshore Renewable Energy Strategy, the Solar Energy Strategy and the Renovation Wave Strategy.

Through content analysis, the paper finds that while references are made to inclusivity, it largely presents communities as economic or technical actors rather than as fully engaged participants in democratic decision-making. The study argues that, for true energy democracy, the Green Deal should extend beyond its current focus on energy communities and enable more diverse and deliberative citizen engagement.

Emily Gray, the lead author on the paper, explains:

“The results of our research suggest that to address sustainability challenges, we can grapple with uncertainty and difference through transformative, action-based research that fosters dialogue and relationships. We also demonstrate how future European policy could use these insights to include communities as fundamentally important actors.” she says. 

Under the title 'The European Green Deal and Democracy', the issue brings together contributions from researchers analysing the extent to which democratic principles are reflected in the Green Deal. The articles consider whether the efforts are fostering democratic innovation or reinforcing existing governance structures, with implications for policy making, citizen involvement, and the EU’s democratic legitimacy.

The full special issue is available here.