Autocratic Power? Energy Megaprojects in the Age of Democratic Backsliding
Publisher: Energy Research & Social Science
Author(s): Mirza Sadaqat Huda
Date: 2022
Topics: Governance, Renewable Resources
Countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, North Korea, Pakistan, South Korea, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan
Cross-border energy megaprojects play an important role in global energy transition. However, energy megaprojects have enormous impacts on socio-political systems. The global decline of democratic norms in the last decade has important implications for energy megaprojects, which have not been systematically examined. This article examines the mutual constitution between autocratization and energy megaprojects. It develops a conceptual framework that appraises the link between authoritarian durability and the incentives and risks of energy megaprojects. The article engages with data on political rights and civil liberties in 16 countries involved in five forthcoming energy megaprojects. It finds that energy megaprojects offer five pathways to the enhancement of authoritarian durability, namely 1) Autocratic Linkage, 2) Coercion of Rivals, 3) Cultivating Dependence, 4) Symbolic Politics and 5) Spheres of Influence. The research also finds that autocratization exacerbates known risks of energy megaprojects. This suggests that autocratization can increase the likelihood of megaprojects being constructed but magnifies the prospect of megaproject failure. The article advances knowledge on autocratization and democratic backsliding by proposing that forthcoming energy megaprojects can be a key element of authoritarian durability. The research contributes to an understanding of energy megaprojects as dynamic entities that respond to and influence diverse governance systems across political boundaries. The analysis proposes that policy choices between environmental protection and the economic development is made more complex by autocratic capture of energy technologies, indicating that global efforts towards balancing climate change mitigation with poverty alleviation must also consider the impact of these initiatives on democratic backsliding.