Thursday, 21. August 2014, 16:40

Energy Democracy Now!

Workshop, 21 August 2014, Attac Summer University, Paris

Venue: Paris VII Diderot University, „La Halle aux Farines"
Languages: French, English, German
Contact: Marlis Gensler, gensler@rosalux-europa.info

The transition from a nuclear-fossil energy system towards one based on renewables is a globally necessary process: fossil and nuclear energy sources are finite, and the climate change needs to be stopped immediately. The energy transition however should not be understood as a solely technical process. The aim should be a regenerative, decentralized, socially just and democratic energy supply. Many experiences are already made how to democratize the energy sector at communal, national and even transnational level, e.g. struggles of democratic control of public energy utilities. Those who struggle for “real” democracy in this sector quickly hit upon obstacles as economy and politics fear a cutting of their power.

In the first part of the workshop, successful examples of energy democracy will be presented; then we propose to discuss corner stones of energy democracy.

In the second part of the workshop, the conditions and restrictions of democratizing public energy utilities will be examined. Activists from struggles and practice will inform us about their experiences in Europe and Latin America.

PART 1: ENERGY DEMOCRACY: THEORY AND PRACTICE

Input:
Criteria and examples of energy democracy in Europe (see brochure below for download) - Conrad Kunze, University of Freiburg

Comments:
Massimo Bedoni, Retenergia, Italy
Anne Debrégeas, Solidaires
Laura Weis, Energy struggles in movement, Germany

Facilitation: Tadzio Müller, RLS Berlin

PART 2: CONDITIONS AND RESTRICTIONS FOR ENERGY DEMOCRACY IN PRACTICE: FROM LOCAL TO TRANSNATIONAL

Input:
Democratising the power sector from the grassroots: Latin American experiments - Daniel Chavez, Transnational Institute (TNI), Amsterdam/Uruguay
Strategies to democratize the energy supply in Berlin - Stefan Taschner, Berlin Energy Roundtable, Germany
Experiences with big energy cooperatives - Massimo Bedoni, Retenergie, Italy
Électricité de France (EDF) - Anne Debrégeas, Solidaires, France

Comments:
Hans Thie, Economic Policy Officer, Left Parliamentary Group, Berlin, Germany
Elena Geberizza, Re:Common, Rome

Facilitation: Tadzio Müller, RLS Berlin

BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS:

Energy Democracy in Europe. A Survey and Outlook.
By Conrad Kunze and Sören Becker. Brussels, July 2014

In cooperation with

Petition for a Referendum on Climate Protection/Berlin Energy Roundtable; Attac Working group "Energy, Climate, Environment"