Published In
Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews-Water
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
7-21-2024
Subjects
Water supply, Water demand management, Water quality, Water -- Distribution
Abstract
Energy transitions are reshaping hydrosocial relations. How they will be reshaped, however, depends on location and water's material relationship to other resources and industrial activities embedded within energy transitions. To highlight this, we focus on three different resources—coal, natural gas, and lithium—to signal how the water–energy nexus will be reworked in a transition away from fossil fuels. We examine the water–coal nexus as an example of a resource relationship that is transitioning out, or that is being moved away from in the green energy transition. Natural gas represents the “bridge fuel” used through the transition. Lithium illustrates a resource inside the green transition, as it is a fundamental material for green technologies in the transition to a low-carbon future. Coal, natural gas, and lithium each have their own material impacts to water resources that stem from their industrial lifecycle and different implications for communities shaped by coal, natural gas, and lithium activities. To explore this, we review each of these resources' connection to water, their legal and regulatory dimensions, and their impact on communities and water justice. We argue that the energy transition is also a hydrosocial transition that will create uneven water-related benefits and burdens. To maximize sustainability and equity, efforts to decarbonize energy systems must examine the localized, place-based hydrosocial relations that differentially affect communities.
Rights
Copyright (c) 2024 The Authors
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Locate the Document
DOI
10.1002/wat2.1751
Persistent Identifier
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/42450
Citation Details
Cousins, J. J., Cantor, A., & Turley, B. (2024). Water throughout the green energy transition: Hydrosocial dimensions of coal, natural gas, and lithium. WIREs Water. Portico.