The EU's climate neutrality goal for 2050. A comparative case study of the coal phase out in Germany and Poland

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Introduction
  • Research question
  • Epistemological interest and structure
• Review of the literature and state of research
  • Literature on the energy transition in Germany
  • The Polish coal sector in scientific literature
  • Research gap and potential contributions
• Theoretical framework: The societal approach to governmental preference formation
  • Domestic politics theories
  • Defining dependent and independent variables
  • Hypotheses
• Methodology and operationalisation
  • Systematic process analysis
  • How to carry out systematic process analysis
  • Operationalisation of the variables
• Case study 1: Germany
  • The German governmental position
  • Societal ideas in Germany
  • Material interests in Germany
  • Institutions in Germany

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This thesis aims to explore the process of coal phase-out in Germany and Poland within the context of the EU's climate neutrality goal for 2050. It seeks to understand the factors influencing the decision-making process in these two countries, focusing on the interplay between societal actors, their interests, and national institutions.

• The EU's climate neutrality goal for 2050 and its implications for member states
• The role of societal actors in shaping energy policy, including public opinion, business interests, and labor unions
• The impact of national institutions and political structures on the implementation of climate policy
• A comparative analysis of the coal phase-out process in Germany and Poland, highlighting the differences and similarities in their approaches
• The economic and social implications of the coal phase-out, including job losses, energy costs, and regional development.

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

The first chapter introduces the research question and the epistemological framework of the thesis. It outlines the focus on the societal approach to governmental preference formation and the comparative case study design. Chapter two provides a review of relevant literature on the energy transition in Germany and the Polish coal sector, highlighting existing research and identifying research gaps. Chapter three lays out the theoretical framework, outlining the societal approach and defining the key variables. The fourth chapter delves into the methodology and operationalization of the research, outlining the systematic process analysis and the methods for operationalizing the variables. The fifth chapter presents the first case study, focusing on Germany. It analyzes the German governmental position on the coal phase-out, examines societal ideas and interests, and explores the role of institutions in the decision-making process.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The key terms and concepts in this thesis include the EU's climate neutrality goal, coal phase-out, energy transition, societal actors, governmental preference formation, domestic politics, comparative analysis, Germany, Poland, systematic process analysis, and the interplay between material interests, societal ideas, and institutions.