Climate Change, Energy Transition, and Constitutional Identity

Abstract Through its potential to contribute mass suffering, economic disruption, and social unrest, climate change poses a security threat the constitutional identities of states (as democratic, autocratic, or hybrid regimes). This paper proposes conceptual framework mediated causality for climatic impacts on identity engages in novel theory-building one mediating vector change: post-fossil energy transition. Theories “oil curse” “carbon democracy” are compared critiqued their contributions understanding decarbonized systems democracy. Two counterintuitive conclusions emerge. First, transitioning away from petroleum may not result increased democratization, as oil curse implies. Second, unlikely become structurally decentralized, advocates “energy suppose, even need remain centralized order popular mobilization around help maintain reinvigorate democratic rights.