The Politics of Technology Decline: Discursive Struggles over Coal Phase-Out in the UK(sic)(sic)(sic)Palabras Clave

The decline of carbon intensive technologies is a key element in the ongoing energy transition and our attempts to tackle climate change. At the same time, our understanding of technology decline and of the associated policies and politics is still limited. This paper builds on the sustainability transitions perspective, a novel approach to analyze socio-technical transformation, including the complex interplay of policy and technology change. We study the decline of coal-fired power generation in the United Kingdom from 2000 to 2017 by analyzing the discourse inThe Guardian. We find scientists and environmental NGOs criticizing coal for climate and health reasons. Government and incumbent businesses tried to re-legitimate coal but eventually, their resistance collapsed and coal was almost completely abandoned in just a few years. Particularly devastating for coal were failed promises around carbon capture and storage, rapid diffusion of wind energy, and pressure from various policies. This study contributes to better understanding the contested nature of decline, and the interplay of discursive struggles, technology change, and public policy in sustainability transitions.