An analysis of energy justice programs across the United States

Abstract The energy transition that is developing across the United States is producing both winners and losers. While some individuals, households and communities are reaping the benefits of the move toward cleaner, renewable sources of energy, others are experiencing its adverse effects, such as disruptions to labor markets, higher energy prices, and pollution and health burdens. To address these disparities, policymakers are increasingly calling for energy justice. However, there is scant scholarly literature on either the prevalence or characteristics of energy justice programs that already exist. Here we show that energy justice programs are both quite widespread and diverse across the United States, are most often led by nonprofit organizations rather than government agencies, and, while many share common missions, programs entail unique and often innovative strategies to achieve their objectives. The analysis lends important insights into current energy justice programs, but we argue deeper evaluation is necessary to identify which efforts are efficacious.