Lina Brand Correa

Lina Brand Correa

Assistant Professor
York University
Canada
In her research, Lina has “travelled” through the whole energy chain: from exploring issues of energy extraction (through the concept of energy return on energy invested) to exploring issues of why we use energy in the way we do. She finds the dual nature of energy (as key for societal development but also as the main source of greenhouse gases and thus climate change) especially fascinating and challenging to deal with from an economic, political and social perspective. And she finds the potential for political economy and wellbeing frameworks to unlock alternative routes to decoupling (beyond technological fixes and efficiency improvements) particularly promising. Such frameworks involve considering what energy demand is for and critically analysing the social-technical systems that influence our relationship with energy. They also involve questioning how and why we consume the things we do, including energy, and to reconsider whether our current way of doing things enables or hinders or wellbeing.