The Southern European Climate Hotspot: Governance Challenges Between Adaptation and Mitigation

Abstract

Southern Europe is increasingly recognized as a primary "climate hotspot," where the physical impacts of climate change (including heatwaves, droughts, and extreme weather events) are intensifying more rapidly than the global average. Simultaneously, the region faces significant pressure to accelerate a rapid energy transition, driven by European Union mandates (such as the Fit for 55 package) and national decarbonization targets. This panel seeks to explore the political dynamics, governance challenges, and policy innovations characterizing climate and energy policy in Southern Europe. Countries in this region share distinct vulnerabilities and structural similarities, yet they exhibit divergent political responses. From the ambitious deployment of renewables in the Iberian Peninsula to the complex energy security challenges in the Eastern Mediterranean, Southern Europe offers a critical laboratory for understanding the "double exposure" to climate risks and socio-economic transformation. Key themes include the implementation of National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs), the politics of "just transition" in regions dependent on fossil fuels or carbon-intensive tourism, and the strategic positioning of diverse policy actors. We are particularly interested in research that addresses the governance of energy crises, the rise of energy poverty, and the strategies employed by firms, trade unions, civil society organizations as well as citizens and public opinion in supporting, shaping or obstructing climate action. We encourage contributions that situate these dynamics within the broader context of the "polycrisis" affecting the region. As governments navigate the simultaneous pressures of economic recovery, social instability, and climate urgency, significant conflicts arise regarding the speed and direction of the transition. We seek papers that analyze the distributive struggles inherent in the "Just Transition," questioning who bears the costs of decarbonization in welfare states already under strain. We invite research on how social movements and interest groups mobilize around these issues, as well as the center-periphery cleavages emerging from the deployment of renewable infrastructure, where local resistance and land-use conflicts often derail central planning. By focusing on the implementation gaps of National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) and the political trade-offs between security and sustainability, this panel aims to assess the challenges and opportunities facing Southern European climate governance.

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