L.S.,
This note shares experience in the years 2014-2015 about the destruction of the scientific discussion platform that ‘Energy Policy’ (Elsevier) once offered to the scientific community.
- Tribute to Nicky France, former editor of Energy Policy (EP) until 2012. For many energy policy analysts, Nicky France has been a landmark editor. She developed the journal Energy Policy (Butterworths; Elsevier] as a globally most recognized and outreaching platform to discuss energy policy issues. Through EP, a variety of visions, approaches, and propositions could find their way to a global audience. Although sometimes chaotic, Nicky found acceptable solutions for the broadest spectrum of ideas to speak out.
- Vested energy interests, incorporated in global fossil fuels, nuclear and power supply companies, were not happy with the independent and franc Energy Policy journal. Since 2012, the open energy policy platform at ‘Energy Policy’ is being destroyed. Nicky France was removed for Michael Jefferson and Lorna Greening as editors. Since then, independent and critical research is no longer welcome at Energy Policy.
Three cases illustrate the practices applied (more evidence on the cases can be supplied).
Our experience was not exceptional, as a letter from the Sustainability Transitions Research Network illustrates.
Because the practices were unacceptable and there were no intentions to curb them soon, I resigned from Energy Policy’s Board. The new editor left (voluntary or forced?) a few months later.