James Meadowcroft
Chancellor’s Professor — Low-carbon transition; environmental policy; sustainable development; energy policy; climate change; comparative environmental politics and policy
- B.A. (McGill), D.Phil (Oxford)
- Email James Meadowcroft
James Meadowcroft is a professor in both the Department of Political Science and the School of Public Policy and Administration. He recently completed a 14-year term as a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Governance for Sustainable Development. Meadowcroft has written widely on environmental politics and policy, democratic participation and deliberative democracy, national sustainable development strategies, and socio-technical transitions. Recent work focuses on energy and the transition to a low carbon society and includes publications on carbon capture and storage (CCS), smart grids, the development of Ontario’s electricity system, the politics of socio-technical transitions, and negative carbon emissions. Meadowcroft’s research has been funded by the UK ERSC, SSHRC, NSERC, the Ivey Foundation, McConnell Foundation, and Carbon Management Canada. He has supervised PhD students working on a variety of environment and energy-related topics including North American air pollution, the politics of biofuels, decarbonization pathways and energy futures.
Meadowcroft is currently Research Director, alongside David Layzell and Normand Mousseau, of the , which utilizes a world-leading four-step methodology to engage diverse societal stakeholders to co-create visions of what a socially and economically desirable net-zero future will look like and build out transition pathways that will enable Canada to get there. As a result of his work with the Accelerator, Meadowcroft regularly presents to senior government officials, industry leaders, and civil society groups to build momentum to make the changes needed to address climate change. Meadowcroft also leads — an independent, pan-Canadian think tank that conducts rigorous policy analysis, communicates compelling narratives, and convene and mobilize Canada’s dynamic energy efficiency sector to make our country a global leader in energy efficiency policy, technology, and jobs.
Meadowcroft has served as co-editor of the International Political Science Review (1999-2007) and Associate Editor of the Journal of Political Ideologies (2006-). He holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Tampere in Finland.
Honours
- Honorary Doctor of Administrative Sciences, University of Tampere, Finland (2010)
- The award was for scholarly contributions to the understanding of the politics and policy involving the environment and sustainable development.
Publications
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- J. Meadowcroft and D. Rosenbloom. . PNAS (2023): 120 (47) e2207727120.
- D. Rosenbloom and J. Meadowcroft. . Current Climate Change Reports (2022).
- J. Pickering, Patterson, J., Biermann, F., Burch, S., Elliott, L., Gupta, A., Inoue, C. Y. A., Ishii, A., Kalfagianni, A., Meadowcroft, J., Okereke, C., & Persson, Ã…. (2022). . Annals of the American Association of Geographers, 1-6.
- Stevenson , G. Auld , J. Allan , L. Elliott and J. Meadowcroft. . Global Environmental Politics (2021)
- Craig, H. Stevenson and J. Meadowcroft. . Journal of Environmental Policy and Planning, 21: 811-825 (2019).
- Rosenbloom, J. Meadowcroft and B. Cashore, ‘‘, Energy Research and Social Science (2018).
- Rosenbloom, J. Meadowcroft, S. Sheppard, S. Burch and S. Williams, ‘‘, Canadian Public Policy/Analyze de Politiques, (2018).
- Rosenbloom, B. Haley, J. Meadowcroft, ‘‘, Energy Research and Social Science 37 (2018): 22-36.
- Meadowcroft, J. Stephens, E. Wilson and I. Rowlands, , Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, (2017).
- Meadowcroft, ‘‘, Canadian Public Policy/Analyse de politiques, 42Sup1 (2016): 10-17.
- Potvin C, Sharma D, Creed I, Aitken S, Anctil F, Bennett E, Berkes F, Bernstein S, Bleau N, Bourque A, Brown B, Burch S, Byrne J, Cunsolo A, Dale A, de Lange D, Dyck B, Entz M, Etcheverry J, Faucher R, Fenech A, Fraser L, Henriques I, Heyland A, Hoffmann M, Hoberg G, Holden M, Huang G, Jacob AL, Jodoin S, Kemper A, Lucotte M, Maranger R, Margolis L, Mauro I, McDonnell J, Meadowcroft J, Messier C, Mkandawire M, Morency C, Mousseau N, Oakes K, Otto S, Palmater P, Palmer TS, Paquin D, Perl A, Potvin A, Ramos H, Raudsepp-Hearne C, Richards N, Robinson J, Sheppard S, Simard S, Sinclair BJ, Slawinski N, Stoddart M, Villard M-A, Villeneuve C, and Wright T. 2017. . FACETS 2: 131–149.
- Rosenbloom, H. Burton and J. Meadowcroft (2016), ‘‘, Research Policy 45 (6) (2016): 1275-1290.
- Gaede and J. Meadowcroft, ‘‘, Journal of Environmental Policy and Planning. (2016)
- Kern, James Gaede, James Meadowcroft and Jim Watson, ‘‘, Technological Forecasting & Social Change 102 (c) (2016): 250-260.
- Feindt, A. Duit and J. Meadowcroft, ‘‘, Environmental Politics 25 (1) (2016): 1-23.
- Spence, C. Digman , D. Balmforth , J. Houldsworth , A. Saul and J. Meadowcroft, ‘‘, Urban Water Journal, (2015)
- Berton, D. Rosenbloom, O. Temby, and James Meadowcroft, ‘‘, Energy Studies Review 22 (2015): 95-111.
- Temby, K. Kapsis, H. Berton, D. Rosenbloom, G. Gibson, A. Athienitise and J. Meadowcroft, ‘‘, Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development, 56 (6) (2014): 4-16.
- Rosenbloom and J. Meadowcroft, ‘‘, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 40 (2014): 488-496.
- Rosenbloom and J. Meadowcroft, ‘’, Energy Policy 65 (2014): 670-679.
- Meadowcroft, ‘’, Environment and Planning C, 31(6) (2013): 988 –1002.
- Stephens, E. Wilson, T. Peterson and J. Meadowcroft, ‘’, Challenges 4 (2013),
- Meadowcroft and R. Steurer, ‘’, Journal of Environmental Policy and Planning (2013).
- Meadowcroft, ‘‘, Climactic Change (2013) 118 (1): 137-149.
- Boyd, Y. Liu, J. Stephens, E. Wilson, M. Pollak, T. Peterson, E. Einsiedel, J. Meadowcroft, ‘‘, International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control 14 (2013): 259-269.
- Biermann, Abbott, K., Andresen, S., Bäckstrand, K., Bernstein, S., Betsill, M.M., Bulkeley, H., Cashore, B., Clapp, J., Folke, C., Gupta, A., Gupta, J., Haas, P.M., Jordan, A., Kanie, N., Kluvankova-Oravska, T., Lebel, L., Liverman, D., Meadowcroft, J., Mitchell, R.B., Newell, P., Oberthür, S. dr., Olsson, L., Pattberg, P.H., Sanchez-Rodriguez, R., Schroeder, H., Underdal, A., Carmago Vieira, S., Vogel, C., Young, O.R., Brock, A. & Zondervan, R. (2012). ‘‘, Science 335 (2012), 1306-1307.
- Biermann, F., K. Abbott, S. Andresen, K. Bäckstrand, S. Bernstein, M.M. Betsill, H. Bulkeley, B. Cashore, J. Clapp, C. Folke, A. Gupta, J. Gupta, P.M. Haas, A. Jordan, N. Kanie, T. Kluvánková-Oravská, L. Lebel, D. Liverman, J. Meadowcroft, R.B. Mitchell, P. Newell, S. Oberthür, L. Olsson, P. Pattberg, R. Sánchez-RodrÃguez, H. Schroeder, A. Underdal, S. Camargo Vieira, C. Vogel, O.R. Young, A. Brock, and R. Zondervan, ‘‘, Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability 4 (1), February 2012, Pages 51-60.
- Frantzeskaki, D. Loorbach and J. Meadowcroft, ‘‘, International Journal of Sustainable Development 15 (1/2) (2012): 19-36.
- Meadowcroft, ‘’,&²Ô²ú²õ±è;Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions1(1) (2011): 70-75.
- Torvanger and J. Meadowcroft, ‘’,&²Ô²ú²õ±è;Global Environmental Change21(2) (2011): 303-312.
- Backstrand, J. Meadowcroft and M. Oppenheimer, ‘’,&²Ô²ú²õ±è;Global Environmental Change 21(2) (2011): 275-281.
- Meadowcroft, ‘’, Policy Sciences 42 (2009): 323-340.
- Meadowcroft, From welfare state to ecostate in ‘’, Journal of European Social Policy 18 (2008): 331-334.
- Meadowcroft, , Journal of Environmental Policy and Planning 9 (2007): 299-314.
- Meadowcroft, ‘‘, European Environment 17 (2007): 152-163.
- Meadowcroft, ‘‘, Politics and Ethics Review 2 (2006): 109-118.
- Catney, J. Henneberry, J. Meadowcroft and R. Eiser, ‘’, Journal of Environmental Policy & Planning 8 (2006): 331–356.
- Meadowcroft, ‘’, New Political Economy, 10 (2005): 479- 498.
- Meadowcroft, K. Farrell and J. Spangenberg, ‘‘, International Journal of Sustainable Development 8 (2005): 3-11.
- Meadowcroft, ‘‘, Landscape and Urban Planning 61 (2002): 169-179.
- Meadowcroft, ‘‘, Political Studies 48 (2000): 370-387.
- Meadowcroft, ‘‘, International Political Science Review 20 (1999): 219-237.
- Meadowcroft, ԉ۪, International Negotiation 4 (1999): 225-254.
- Meadowcroft, ‘‘, European Journal of Political Research 31 (1997): 427-454.
- Meadowcroft, ԉ۪, International Political Science Review 18 (1997): 167-190.
- Meadowcroft, ‘‘, New Political Economy 1 (1996): 408-413.
- Meadowcroft, ‘‘, Contemporary Politics 1 (1995): 37-56.
- Meadowcroft and M. Taylor, ‘‘, Twentieth Century British History 1 (1990): 35-57.
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- J. Meadowcroft and D. Rosenbloom, ‘Accelerating the Low-carbon Energy Transition’ in M. Winfield, S. Hill and J. Gaede. Sustainable energy transitions in Canada: Opportunities and challenges. University of British Columbia Press, 2023.
- J. Meadowcroft. ‘The environmental state and its limits’, in J. Sowers, S. VanDeveer and E. Weinthal (eds.). The Oxford Handbook of Comparative Environmental Politics. Oxford University Press: Oxford, 2021.
- Runhaar, B. Wilk, P. Driessen, N. Dunphy, A. Persson, J. Meadowcroft and G. Mullally, ‘Policy Integration’, in Frank Biermann and Rakhyun Kim (eds.), Architectures of Earth System Governance: Institutional Complexity and Structural Transformation, Cambridge University Press, 2020
- Meadowcroft, ‘Epilogue: continuity and change in the Anthropocene’, in Frank Biermann and Eva Lovbrand (eds.), Anthropocene Encounters: New Directions in Green Political Thinking, Cambridge University Press, 2019.
- Meadowcroft, ‘Green technology’ in N. Castree, M. Hulme and J. Proctor (eds.), The Companion to Environmental Studies, Routledge, 2018.
- Meadowcroft, ‘The Birth of the Environment and the Evolution of Environmental Governance’, in J. Meadowcroft and D. Fiorino (eds.), Conceptual Innovation in Environmental Policy, MIT Press, 2017.
- Meadowcroft and D. Fiorino, ‘Conceptual Innovation and Environmental Policy’, in J. Meadowcroft and D. Fiorino (eds.), Conceptual Innovation in Environmental Policy, MIT Press, 2017.
- Meadowcroft and D. Fiorino, ‘The Conceptual Repertoire of Environmental Policy’, in J. Meadowcroft and D. Fiorino (eds.), Conceptual Innovation in Environmental Policy, MIT Press, 2017.
- Meadowcroft and D. Fiorino, ‘Conceptual Innovation and the Future of Environmental Policy’ in J. Meadowcroft and D. Fiorino (eds.), Conceptual Innovation in Environmental Policy, MIT Press, 2017.
- Meadowcroft, ‘Sustainable development, limits and growth: reflections on the conundrum’, in P. Victor and B. Dolter, Handbook on Growth and Sustainability, Edward Elgar, 2017.
- Gaede and J. Meadowcroft, ‘Carbon capture and storage demonstration and low-carbon energy transitions: explaining limited progress’, in B. Sovacool, F. Kern, and T. van de Graff (eds.), Handbook of the International Political Economy of Energy, Palgrave Macmillan (2016).
- Toner, J. Meadowcroft and D. Cherniak, ‘The struggle of the Canadian federal government to institutionalize sustainable development, in D. VanNijnatten (ed.), Canadian Environmental Policy and Politics: the Challenges of Austerity and Ambivalence, Oxford University Press, 4th edition, 2015, pp. 116-129.
- Meadowcroft, ‘Comparing environmental performance’, in A. Duit (ed.), Mapping the Politics of Ecology, MIT Press, 2014.
- Meadowcroft, ‘Greening the State’, in P. Steinberg and S. VanDeveer (eds.), Comparative Environmental Politics, MIT Press, 2012.
- Gough and J. Meadowcroft, ‘Decarbonising the welfare state’ in J. Dryzek, R. Norgaard and D. Schlosberg (eds.), the Oxford Handbook of Climate Change and Society, Oxford University Press, 2011, pp. 490-503.
- Meadowcroft, ‘Sustainable Development’, in M. Bevir (ed.), The Sage Handbook of Governance, Sage, 2011, pp. 535-551.
- Meadowcroft and M. Hellin, ‘Policy making in the indeterminate world of energy transitions: carbon capture and storage as energy transition or enhanced carbon “lock in”‘, in G. Toner, L. Pal and M. Prince (eds.), Policy: From Ideas to Implementation, McGill Queens University Press, 2010, pp. 232-256.
- Toner and J. Meadowcroft, ‘Spinning Wheels and Loosing Traction: The struggle of the Canadian government to move from rhetoric to action on the institutionalization of sustainable development’, in D. VanNijnatten and R. Boardman (eds.), Canadian Environmental Policy: Context and Cases, 3rd edition, 2009.
- Meadowcroft, ‘Who is in charge here? Governance for sustainable development in a complex world’, in J. Newig, J. Voß and J. Monstadt (eds), Governance for Sustainable Development: Coping with Ambivalence, Uncertainty and Distributed Power, Routledge, 2008, pp.107-122.
- Meadowcroft, ‘Governing the transition to a new energy economy’, in F. Armstrong and K. Blundell (eds.), Energy…Beyond Oil (Oxford University Press, 2007), pp. 197-214.
- Meadowcroft, ‘Democracy and accountability: the challenge for cross-sectoral partnerships’, in P. Glasbergen, F. Biermann and A. Mol (eds.), Partnerships, Governance and Sustainable Development: Reflections on Theory and Practice (Edward Elgar, 2007), pp 194-213.
- Meadowcroft, ‘From welfare state to ecostate?’, in J. Barry and R. Eckersley (eds.), The State and the Global Ecological Crisis (MIT Press, 2005), pp. 3-23.
- Meadowcroft, ‘Environmental political economy, technological transitions and the state’, in A. Payne (ed.), Key Debates in New Political Economy (Routledge, 2005), pp. 57-78.
- Meadowcroft, Participation and sustainable development: modes of citizen, community, and organizational involvement, in W. Lafferty (ed.), Governance for Sustainable Development: The Challenge of Adapting Form to Function (Edward Elgar, 2004), pp.162-190.
- Meadowcroft, ‘Deliberative democracy’, in R. Durant, D. Fiorino and R. O’Leary and (eds.), Environmental Governance Reconsidered: Challenges, Choices and Opportunities, (MIT Press, 2004), pp. 183-218.
- Meadowcroft, ‘Green ideology at the dawn of the twenty-first century’, in M. Freeden (ed.) Reassessing Political Ideologies: The Durability of Dissent (Routledge, 2001), pp. 175-192.
- Meadowcroft, ‘Neutrality, perfectionism and the new liberal theory of the state’, in D. Weinstein and A. Simhony (eds.), The New Liberalism: Reconciling Liberty and Community (Cambridge University Press, 2001), pp. 115-136.
- Meadowcroft, ‘Nationale Pläne und Strategien zur nachhaltigen Entwicklung in Industrienationen’ in M. Janicke and H. Jörgens (eds.) Umweltplanung im internationalen Vergleich: Strategien der Nachhaltigkeit (Springer, 2000), pp. 113-129.
- Meadowcroft, ‘Co-operative management regimes: a way forward?’, in P. Glasbergen (ed.) Co-operative Environmental Governance (Kluwer Academic, 1998), pp. 21-42.
- Meadowcroft, Introduction to The Social Problem, by J. A. Hobson (Thommes Press, in the series ‘Key Texts: Classic Studies in the History of Ideas’, 1996), pp. iv-xviii.
- Meadowcroft, ‘Democratic Theory and Environmental Protection’, in S. Elworthy et al (eds.) Perspectives on the Environment 2 (Avebury, 1995), pp. 205-214.
- Meadowcroft, ‘North-South Environmental Crisis: Whose Fault? Who Pays?’, in J. Putzel (ed.), Agrarian Reform and the Environment in the Philippines and South East Asia (Catholic Institute for International Relations, 1992), pp. 149-162.
Lecture Videos
Videos, & Media Coverage
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- (CBC News, Jan 2021)
- (Ici Radio-Canada, Nov 2020)
- (Sep 2020)
- (CBC News, Jun 2020)
- Professor James Meadowcroft on National Recovery Taskforce (News, May 2020)
- (May 2020)
- (Feb 2020)
- How to Fix the Climate: Accelerate Social Change (Another Take, Jan 2020)
- (Dec 2019)
- (CTV News, Jul 2019)
- (Jun 2019)
- (Jun 2019)
- (Apr 2019)
- (Nov 2018)
- ÐÓ°ÉÔ´´ Takes Lead in Energy Efficiency (News, Nov 2018)
- (May 2017)
- Robo-wars and Driverless Cars: New Course Covers Technology, Nature, and Power (News, May 2017)
- Climate Policy Champions (FPA Voices, Feb 2017)
- (Ottawa Citizen, Nov 2015)
- (The Narwhal, Mar 2015)
- (The Hill Times, Mar 2015)
- Nature Draws a Hard Line: Govts vs. Climate Change (News, Oct 2014)
- Multilevel Environmental Governance (News, Apr 2014)
- (The Globe & Mail, May 2012)
- (Jun 2010)
- (Montreal Gazette, Oct 2008)
Podcasts
- (The EcoPolitics Podcast, Sep 2020)
- (Beyond Zero – Science and Solutions, Jan 2017)
SPPA News
Professors James Meadowcroft and Daniel Rosenbloom examine the many facets of acceleration in their latest publication in Energy Research & Social Science.
Net-zero transitions are accelerating, with multiple sectors now experiencing the rapid diffusion of carbon neutral technologies. Alongside a team of leading transition and innovation scholars, …
SPPA Professors Recognized Among Top 2% Scientists Globally!
We are thrilled to share that three of our esteemed faculty members at the School of Public Policy and Administration (SPPA) have made it onto …