Reclaiming Energy Report: Part 2 - Better Public Ownership Accountability, Affordability and Democracy

18 December 2024

40 minutes read

Part 2 of the Reclaiming Energy Report explores how revitalised, democratic public ownership can drive a just and ambitious energy transition. It highlights innovative models worldwide, from progressive tariffs to public–community collaborations, reclaiming energy systems for social and ecological good.

Reclaiming Energy Report: Part 2 - Better Public Ownership (PDF, 10.06 MB)

Average time to read: 40 minutes

Publication type: Report
Part of series: Public Power trilogy

Authors

Summary

Part 2 of the report makes the case for a revitalised and democratised form of public ownership as an essential component of the energy transition.

As discussed previously, we cannot rely on private actors to deliver the just, rapid and ambitious energy transition we need. However, at present, many of the world’s most well known and powerful public energy firms behave like private institutions to all intents and purposes. State-owned fossil fuel companies are among the world’s highest emitters of greenhouse gases. Many public utilities have become hollowed out and corporatised, driven more by revenue generation than any kind of social or environmental objectives.

Yet, simultaneously, across the world, we also see alternative models of public ownership — models that prioritise the common good and dem- ocratic participation over private gain and authoritarian control. This section outlines four areas across which better public energy ownership is being built:

A new public mission and mandate, which provides a binding legal framework to ensure that public energy firms prioritise social and ecological objectives.
Progressive tariffs, which can reduce overall energy demand, tackle energy inequalities and reduce energy poverty by subsidising essential energy con- sumption and penalising excessive consumption.
Re-municipalisation, which enables cities and towns to take local energy systems back into democratic public control.
Public–community collaborations, which offer a framework for participatory democratic involvement within public energy institutions.

Together these elements showcase the multiple levels of action that can be taken to reclaim, revitalise and create democratic public ownership.