Studying Industrial Decarbonisation: Developing an Interdisciplinary Understanding of the Conditions for Transformation in Energy-Intensive Natural Resource-Based Industry

Abstract

The ambition to keep global warming well below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels, as recognised in the Paris Agreement, implies a reorientation towards low-carbon societal development and, ultimately, the decarbonisation of human societies and economies. While climate policy has been geared towards achieving set emission reduction targets, the decarbonisation of key socioeconomic sectors such as energy-intensive natural resource-based industries (ENRIs) has not yet been sufficiently addressed, neither politically nor in science. Decarbonising the ENRIs is a complex societal problem that will require structural transformation technologically as well as socially. Understanding the conditions for transformative change therefore necessitates integrated knowledge from multiple perspectives of different research fields. In this paper, we examine the potential of combining three different research fields and critically scrutinize the challenges to integration for understanding the conditions for industrial decarbonisation: energy system analysis, sustainability transition research and policy studies. We argue that these perspectives are complementary—a fundamental condition for fruitful integration—but not easily compatible since they are sometimes based on different ontological assumptions. The research fields are in themselves heterogeneous, which poses additional challenges to an integrated research approach. Drawing on experiences from a Swedish research project (GIST2050) on industrial decarbonisation, we suggest a modest approach to integrated research that could progressively develop from multidisciplinary exchange towards more integrated forms of interdisciplinarity by means of cross-disciplinary dialogue and understanding.

Determinants of Decarbonisation in the Transformation of the Energy Sector: The Case of Poland

“…As we mentioned, this study aims to identify the determinants of decarbonization processes in Poland [23,24]. We believe that our research contributes to the literature because, even though decarbonization has been discussed in both EU and international literature, there is no reference to knowledge-diffusion processes as the causative factors for those changes.…”

Smart-city trends in the environment of sustainability as support for decarbonization processes

“…The smart-city concept, based on the 4T (technology, trust, talent, and tolerance) capitals theory, aims to solve various urban problems, including limited access to or a lack of some public services, the problem of mobility and transport, overly fast development, limited land availability, environmental degradation, and others (Åhman et al 2017;Svensson et al 2020). As a sustainable city, a smart city must be designed as a creative place.…”

Assumptions of the Energy Policy of the Country versus Investment Outlays Related to the Purchase of Alternative Fuels: Poland as a Case Study

“…It is assumed that for this purpose the competitive advantages of the Polish economy will be used, thus stimulating new development opportunities and infrastructure modernization on a large scale. It is estimated that the transformation of the energy sector will contribute to the creation of 300,000 new jobs in business sectors with the highest growth potential, including, in particular, those related to renewable energy sources, development of network infrastructure, digitization, electromobility, thermal modernization, and nuclear energy [41][42][43].…”