CO2 emissions are growing extremely fast in Rapidly Developing Countries, which will account for 99% of the global emissions increase by 2035 (BP 2014). Energy demand is set to increase by 75% by 2035 and (if no change incurs) will largely depend on fossil fuels (IEA 2013). In response to these concerns, Rapidly Developing Countries are currently seeking to tap its vast renewable energy potential (IRENA 2013). This shift to renewable energy provides a unique opportunity to study socio-technical transition to low-carbon technologies. Transitioning to renewable energy requires policy reform, infrastructure investment, citizen mobilization, and smart financing mechanisms. The RE-DEV project will examine the conditions for the take-up of renewable energy in Rapidly Developing Countries and, by doing so, uncover its consequences in terms of global CO2 emissions. Drawing on a comparative study of four selected country-cases (China, India, South Africa, and Morocco), this project will offer an in-depth analysis of: (a) regulatory frameworks and existing financing mechanisms, (b) the limits and potential of multilateral climate cooperation, (c) the state of vertical/horizontal transfer of know-how. The country sample responds to a most-dissimilar-systems research design. To gather evidence, this project will employ the following methods: semi-structured interviews with policy makers, questionnaires and a participatory assessment with public/private stakeholders. As a result of this, the RE-DEV project will build knowledge on how to facilitate a sustained transition to renewable energy in Rapidly Developing Countries. I put a strong emphasis on three aspects: the interdisciplinary character of the project, its intersectoral nature, and the crucial issue of its timing – it needs to be carried out now, when domestic energy transitions and the post-Kyoto climate change deal (due at Paris COP 21) are at a crucial point of their development.

<< Background >>The Jean Monnet Atlantic Network 2.0 (JMAN2) is a continuation and a rupture with the previous undertakings: ‘Atlantic Future - Towards an Atlantic Area?’ and ‘JMN on Atlantic Studies’. Building upon these prior experiences, the JMAN2 focused on three original thematic axes - Energy/Sustainability, Trade/Economy and Security/Inequality - intending to offer a wide, innovative and controversial view of Atlantic problems and the expectations and scope of the EU activities relative to them.<< Objectives >>The JMAN2 is a small six-member network with intense communication and joint activities in the Atlantic Basin. The Network’s main purpose was to serve as an arena for discussing globalisation and key major trends in the Atlantic. By combining the national and regional perspectives, its research and debates have always sought to consider the different foreign interests and pressures under a critical view of the European Union’s possible roles and future in the region.<< Implementation >>The JMAN2 implemented its six initially proposed meetings (one hosted by each partner) based on the thematic axes and developed the eighteen discussion papers permeated by evolutionary dialogue, externalities of different groups and the monitoring of the main issues in such meetings. Additionally, the Network implemented a considerable number of extra meetings, papers and multimedia material, all accessible as open-source content on the Network website and disseminated on its social media.<< Results >>The JMAN2 accomplished its objectives. It over-delivered, developing the proposed products (a website, six events and eighteen discussion papers) and organising four extra events, thirteen additional papers and eight podcasts. It also engaged students and future experts from the institutions involved and had a strong social media presence, to further disseminate its work and raise awareness of the project activities.