Place-Based Energy Transitions: Who Decides and Who Benefits in a Clean Energy Future

Place-Based Energy Transitions: Who Decides and Who Benefits in a Clean Energy Future

Author: Environmental Law Institute March 18, 2026 Duration: 59:50

What does a truly just energy transition look like — and who gets to define it? In this episode of People, Places, Planet, host Sebastian Duque Rios sits down with Nadia Ahmad (Barry University School of Law) and Danielle Stokes (University of Richmond School of Law), collaborators on the Just Energy Transitions and Place (JET Place) project, a multi-institutional research initiative examining how place, land use law, and community governance shape who bears the burdens and who captures the benefits of America's shift to clean energy. Drawing on fieldwork across Florida, Louisiana, Kansas, and Pennsylvania, they make the case that decarbonization without redistribution isn't a just transition at all.

From federalism and zoning conflicts to power purchase agreements, IRA rollbacks, and the structural barriers facing marginalized communities, this conversation surfaces the deeply human stakes behind every permitting decision and planning process — and explores what it looks like when communities successfully reclaim agency in the energy future being built around them.

The conversation also zeroes in on Florida as a potentially cautionary case: a state with extraordinary solar potential but a regulatory environment defined by vertically integrated utilities, restricted third-party PPAs, and legislation that threatens to ban net zero targets at every level of government.

  • What "Just Energy Transition" Really Means: Decarbonization and Distribution (4:50)
  • Navigating the Regulatory Landscape: Federal, State, and Local Authority (8:10)
  • Just Energy Transitions and Place (21:39)
  • Why Place-Centered Energy Planning Is Essential to Energy Justice (27:12)
  • Florida: A Placed-based Case Study of Energy Governance Challenges (41:38)
  • Concluding Thoughts: Policy Instability, IRA Rollbacks, and Reasons for Hope (50:07)
★ Support this podcast ★

Produced by the Environmental Law Institute, People Places Planet is a conversation grounded in the practical realities of environmental stewardship. This podcast moves beyond abstract theory to explore how laws, policies, and innovative governance models are actively applied. Each episode features discussions with practitioners, scientists, legal experts, and community leaders who are directly engaged in crafting and implementing solutions. You’ll hear nuanced analysis on the intersection of business, regulation, and education, focusing on tangible outcomes rather than just identifying problems. The dialogue consistently centers on how complex frameworks operate in the real world, affecting specific communities, ecosystems, and industries. Listening provides a deeper understanding of the mechanisms that drive environmental progress and the challenges that arise at the intersection of human activity and planetary health. It’s an essential resource for anyone curious about the foundational rules and creative strategies shaping our relationship with the environment, offering clarity on the legal and policy threads woven through every environmental issue. Tune in for thoughtful, expert-driven perspectives that connect the dots between policy texts and their impact on the ground.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

People Places Planet
Podcast Episodes
CERCLA, Explained [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:06
What is CERCLA, and why does it matter for environmental law and justice? In this episode of People, Places, Planet, host Dara Albrecht sits down with environmental law veterans Mike McLaughlin, Sam Boxerman, and Jack Ra…
Wading into a Warmer Future: Developing Climate Resilient Wetlands [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:23
Wetlands play a critical role in protecting communities from climate change, but restoring and sustaining them in a shifting climate is no easy task. In this episode of People, Places, Planet, host Dara Albrecht examines…
When the Water Comes: Managing Sea Level Rise [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:34
In this episode of People Places Planet, host Dara Albrecht is joined by Jeffrey Peterson, environmental policy expert and author of A New Coast: Strategies for Responding to Devastating Storms and Rising Seas. Together,…
Safe Drinking Water Act, Explained [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:42
In this installment of the People Places Planet Explained Series, host Dara Albrecht is joined by Robin Rotman, Assistant Professor at the University of Missouri, and Camille Pannu, Associate Professor at Columbia Law Sc…
Food Waste Prevention Week: Highlighting Changemakers in Nashville [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:25
In this special episode of People Places Planet, host Dara Albrecht and ELI Senior Attorney Linda Breggin take us to Nashville for Food Waste Prevention Week, where local leaders across sectors are driving innovative eff…
Clear Skies Ahead: Reducing Bird-Building Collisions [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:31
Each year, around one billion birds die from collisions with buildings in the United States—an alarming but preventable crisis driven by modern glass architecture. In this episode of People Places Planet, host Dara Albre…
Environmental Defenders: On the Frontlines of Conservation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:24
Environmental defenders play a critical role in safeguarding natural resources and advocating for human rights, yet they face severe threats—including harassment, violence, and even murder. In this episode of People Plac…