Political Economies of Energy Transition: Wind and Solar Power in Brazil and South Africa

Seminar abstract

Wind power has expanded quickly in Brazil, while solar power lags there and both wind and solar power have struggled to take off in South Africa.

Professor Kathryn Hochstetler argues that four different political economies;

1. climate change,
2. industrial policy,
3. consumption and distribution,
4. siting

 help account for energy transition.

However, coalitions are being built on each of these at the same time, potentially interlocking to reinforce or counter-balance each other.

The presentation will examine how these processes work in Brazil and South Africa to create distinct national political economies of energy transition.

How to attend this seminar

This seminar is free to attend with no need to register in advance.

Please join this seminar online on Wednesday 20 October 2021 at 2pm

We warmly encourage you to join with your friends, colleagues and classmates.

Speaker bio

Kathryn Hochstetler is Professor and Head of the Department of International Development at the London School of Economics and Politics Science.

She has been researching environmental politics in Brazil and other emerging powers for three decades.

Her most recent books include Political Economies of Energy Transition: Wind and Solar Power in Brazil and South Africa (Cambridge 2021) and Greening Brazil: Environmental Activism in State and Society (Duke 2007).