Conclusion: Legal Knowledge for the Low-Carbon Transition

The chapters of the Handbook confirm that decarbonization is a context-dependent process. Goals, institutions, and tools are selected through decision-making processes that reflect the architectures of each legal system. As discussed in the Introduction, the legal feasibility of the low-carbon transition entails focusing on reforms that exploit existing complementarities and harness the capabilities of each institutionallevel. In this concluding chapter, we summarize the insights offered by the Handbook on both perspectives. They are arranged according to six broad areas. At the macro level, we ask how meaningful it is to distinguish the legal pathways in developed and developing countries and which signs of incremental or radical legal change can be detected. We then move to the meso level to discuss the allocation of competencies and the regulation of cross-border and decentralized infrastructures. Finally, we focus on the micro level with the analysis of legal tools. We conclude with some reflections on the meanings of energy justice, an issue that cuts across the other areas.