JOURNAL: Conflicts between economic and low-carbon reorientation processes

Summary

Authors:

Frank W. Geels

University of Manchester

Conflicts between economic and low-carbon reorientation processes: Insights from a contextual analysis of evolving company strategies in the United Kingdom petrochemical industry (1970–2021)

Energy Research & Social Science

Sept 2022

  • Makes longitudinal analysis of UK petrochemical industry in past 50 years
  • Analyses economic and socio-political environments and strategic responses
  • Deeper economic reorientations trump more recent low-carbon reorientation
  • Firms reluctantly explore low-carbon innovations, while resisting politically.
  • New investments in fossil fuel assets also conflict with low-carbon reorientation