Honors Theses
Date of Award
2011
Document Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Department
Croft Institute for International Studies
First Advisor
Megan Shannon
Relational Format
Dissertation/Thesis
Abstract
This thesis is concerned with the development of renewable energy policies in the countries of Spain, Germany, and the United Kingdom. By examining these three diverse countries, this thesis attempts to determine whether renewable and/or environmental policies are more influenced by national (domestic) factors, in terms of public opinion and media attention, or by supranational (international) factors, in terms of European Union directives, international obligations, and access to fossil fuels. The thesis hypothesizes that domestic factors are the primary catalysts for renewable energy promotion within their respective countries. The theories of nationalism and supranationalism are examined in a theoretical framework. To test for the hypothesis, data are gathered from a content analysis of 1) two newspapers from each country between the years 1990 and 2010, and 2) public opinion polling of the perceptions of the environment in Eurobarometer reports between the years 1975 to 2010. Through these analyses, it is possible to observe that the primary factors for the growth of renewable energy policy is a country’s import dependency on fossil fuels and that country’s involvement in a supranational authority.
Recommended Citation
Aubrey, Michael Impey, "The Development of Renewable Energy Policy in the European Union: The Cases of Spain, Germany, and the United Kingdom" (2011). Honors Theses. 2291.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/2291
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