Description
Human history is the story of the constant search for energy. Since its origins, humankind has had to satisfy its energy demand through available energy resources. Although the use of non-renewable energy sources has been perpetuated over time, there are currently many strategies implemented by the states to develop energy transition for sustainable development. An example of this is the emergence of energy democracy initiatives such as prosumers and energy communities. Within the European Union, the Directives 2018/2001 and 2019/944 open a broad regulatory framework for this type of practices. In the face of the challenges imposed by the energy transition and climate change, energy democracy plays a key role. These initiatives have currently yielded important results where individuals and communities have been empowered and have become actors in energy generation from renewable energy sources. On the other hand, Cuba, a small developing country in the Caribbean with a weak fossil fuel-based energy matrix, has being facing one of the biggest energy crises on its history. That is why the Cuban government has oriented its policy and legal framework to achieve energy sovereignty through sustainable energy development. The general goal of this research is to determine the viability of energy democracy initiatives in Cuba according with the national Energy Law and Policy taking into consideration EU experiences for green transition. This paper analyses: the role and evolution of energy democracy initiatives on energy transition, the EU ́s legal and policy experiences and the Cuban policy and legal framework for energy democracy. Energy democracy has deeply rooted in EU in the policy and legal scenario with several examples of good practices while in Cuba these initiatives are still not representative despite Cuban energy policy and law are being oriented to support this kind of practices.| Period | 3 Aug 2023 |
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| Event title | Annual Colloquium of the IUCN Academy of Environmental Law: Future-Proofing Law in a Time of Environmental Emergency |
| Event type | Conference |
| Conference number | 20th |
| Location | Joensuu, Finland |
| Degree of Recognition | International |