ABSTRACT
Rethinking the power systems of industrialized countries is crucial to fight climate change. However, discussions on energy transition often turn out to be very fragmented and indecisive because of the complexity of the task, its impact on the economy, the number of stakeholders involved, and the range of views and interests at play. To face this challenge, the German philanthropic foundation Stiftung Mercator created the “Agora Energiewende.” This platform brings together different stakeholders, offering a safe and informed space where different options for Germany’s energy transition can be analyzed and discussed in a meaningful and holistic way, fuelled with the input of a team of experts. Its objective is to bring about co-created and co-owned change. This approach has shaped the political debate in Germany and inspired other Agora-type approaches, in Vietnam, Madagascar, Turkey, and beyond, on coal, deforestation, and other topics.
