Ed Atkins
Dr Ed Atkins researches the contested nature of environmental and energy policy and politics, with a particular focus on the local politics of energy generation and consumption, decarbonisation, and climate action. His work primarily falls into three interrelated themes. Ed Atkins is a Senior Lecturer in Human Geography at the University of Bristol. His work focuses on energy transitions and socio-economic justice.
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These different threads of research have culminated in his recent book, A Just Energy Transition, published in July 2023. The book explores how localised, democratic, and place-based approaches can facilitate more equitable energy transitions and climate action.
Just Transitions – Dr Atkins examines how environmental and energy policy must be equitable and inclusive. While there is an urgency to addressing and mitigating climate change, it is essential to ensure that no one is excluded from or unsupported by decarbonisation efforts. His research in this area includes climate resilience, local environmental voices, and the role of digital technologies in managing household energy demand. This work builds on his previous research, including his PhD, which explored the contentious politics of hydropower in the Brazilian Amazon. His studies have investigated how hydroelectric dams transform waterscapes and how opposition movements challenge dominant perceptions of hydropower as a ‘green’ energy source within energy transitions.
Right-Wing Populism, the Environment, and Energy Transitions – Dr Atkins analyses how right-wing populist politicians and movements engage with climate change and environmental issues. His current research focuses on right-wing populist responses to net-zero policies and decarbonisation in the UK.
Workers and Work in Energy Transitions – Dr Atkins explores how energy transitions are reshaping regional economies and employment patterns. His ongoing research examines ‘stranded communities’—regions reliant on fossil fuel industries that risk being left behind in a low-carbon future. His work also considers the quality of ‘green jobs’ and how workers can influence the future direction of change.
Beyond these core themes, Dr Atkins has also researched and written about cryptocurrency ‘mining,’ data centres, Bitcoin’s popularity, the aviation sector, and climate anxiety among young people.
Dr Atkins is the Co-Lead of the Low Carbon Energy theme at the Cabot Institute for the Environment, alongside Sam Williamson and Tom Scott. He is also a member of the Bristol Advisory Committee on Climate Change and serves on the Steering Committees for the Bristol Inclusive Economy Initiative and the Environmental Change group at the Cabot Institute for the Environment.
Six rules for a just energy transition
Achieving net zero by 2050 is a national process with local and regional implications. Its impacts on people’s work and livelihoods will be complex: personal circumstances, geographic location, and the sectors affected all create different opportunities, risks and needs for individuals and their families navigating economic change. Yet, energy policy and climate action are often stymied by politicisation, populism, and a perceived tension between being 'green' and the cares and priorities of 'working people'. Drawing on recent work on stranded communities and green backlash, this presentation will assert that future climate policy should not only make sense of these tensions but also develop new approaches and narratives to address them. It outlines six routes (and rules) through which a more inclusive approach be found, and a broader story of transitions told. Taken together, these rules assert the potential of a socialised, community-led story of transition: formed of better jobs, community ownership, and warmer homes.
