From decarbonization to depopulation: an emerging challenge for the carbon-intensive regions under the energy transition in Spain
Since 1990, Spain has undergone a rapid decarbonization process focused on closing carbonintensive facilities such as coal mines and coal-fired power plants and promoting renewable energy sources. These facilities have been the main source of income and employment in the regions where they were loca...
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| Tipo de recurso: | artículo |
| Fecha de publicación: | 2022 |
| País: | España |
| Institución: | Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona |
| Repositorio: | Dipòsit Digital de Documents de la UAB |
| Idioma: | inglés |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:ddd.uab.cat:271652 |
| Acceso en línea: | https://ddd.uab.cat/record/271652 https://dx.doi.org/urn:doi:10.3390/su142214786 |
| Access Level: | acceso abierto |
| Palabra clave: | Decarbonization Depopulation Carbon-intensive regions Energy transition policy Spain |
| Sumario: | Since 1990, Spain has undergone a rapid decarbonization process focused on closing carbonintensive facilities such as coal mines and coal-fired power plants and promoting renewable energy sources. These facilities have been the main source of income and employment in the regions where they were located, in addition to being a major source of carbon emissions. Their closure can have a huge impact on the socioeconomic and demographic composition of these carbon-intensive regions, damaging the social fabric and accelerating the process of depopulation. Based on a detailed analysis of policy documents and demographic data (from municipal registers and the 1991-2011 census), this article aims to: first identify and delineate the main carbon-intensive regions in Spain that are vulnerable to the negative impacts of the ongoing decarbonization process; second, examine the different policy responses and phases of the decarbonization process in Spain; and finally, examine the impact of the decarbonization process on the demographic (size, structure, and composition of the population) and socioeconomic configuration of the different carbon-intensive regions in Spain. |
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