CGD Panel Discussion: The Political Economy of Energy Transition

Join us for this panel discussion on the political economy of energy transition with speakers from the Department of International Development (King’s College London) and the School of Politics and International Studies (University of Leeds).

This event is hybrid.

Please register for the event!

We will have presentations from the following speakers:

Dr Angus McNelly (King’s College London): The Actually Existing Hegemonic Green Transition: Finance, Extraction and Energy

Angus McNelly is an interdisciplinary scholar interested the politics of transformative change and twenty-first century capitalism. His research examines the Left in Power, state-social movement relations, the political economy of development in Latin America, natural resource-led development and extraction and energy transitions. His first monograph, Now We Are in Power: The Politics of Passive Revolution in Twenty-First Century Bolivia, was published by the University of Pittsburgh Press in 2023. He is currently writing a book on the economic history of Bolivia and has three research projects addressing meat planes in Bolivia, finance, extraction and the green transition and the politics of knowledge production across postcolonial spaces respectively.

Dr Alex Beresford (University of Leeds) and Dr Ruth Bookbinder (University of Birmingham/University of Leeds): Contesting ‘Just’ Transitions in South Africa

Alex Beresford is Associate Professor in African Politics at the University of Leeds. Their research focuses on contemporary South African politics, including the challenges of populism and corruption. Alex is currently working on a project exploring just transitions from workers’ perspectives in 14 countries.

Ruth Bookbinder is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Birmingham with the Centre for Responsible Business. Her research interests include just transitions and rent-seeking in South Africa, with a particular focus on the energy sector. She has also conducted research into transitions to tackle the climate crisis in Rwanda and the UK.

Dr Clare Richardson-Barlow (University of Leeds): Envisioning Just Transitions: Navigating the Complexities of Industrial Decarbonisation

Clare Richardson-Barlow is a Lecturer in Global Politics of China at the University of Leeds, where she specializes in the political economy of industrial decarbonisation, energy policy, and just transitions in Asia. Her expertise spans over a decade in energy governance and policy with a focus on the Asia-Pacific region. Clare has led significant projects at policy research organisations in Washington, D.C., including the National Bureau of Asian Research and the Center for Strategic & International Studies. She holds a PhD in sustainability research and East Asian studies from the University of Leeds, an MA from Tsinghua University, and a BA from Pacific University. Her work, which has been featured in outlets such as Nikkei Asia and The Wall Street Journal, emphasises collaborative research on energy transitions and decarbonisation policies globally.