Introduction: Comparing Low-Carbon Transitions

The introductory chapter sets out the goals of the Handbook. A large literature has been exploring the multiple facets of the transition. The Handbook adds to this scientific debate a thoroughly comparative perspective on the legal underpinnings of the transformations taking place in energy systems worldwide. The concept of legal pathways of decarbonisation is proposed as a heuristic device to analyse the institutional contexts influencing the policy choices in each country or region. From an explanatory point of view, the concept of legal pathways draws on comparative legal methodologies to identify the role played by each component of the legal systems. From a normative point of view, legal pathways should be integrated into theories of the low-carbon transition and decarbonisation scenarios policymakers rely on. Such integration is needed both to foster the interdisciplinary dialogue and ensure the transition proceeds at the right pace and in the right direction. The chapter concludes with an overview of the five parts of the Handbook.