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Lavinia Steinfort Project Coordinator

Our people — Staff member

Lavinia Steinfort is a political geographer and feminist eco-socialist. At the Transnational Institute (TNI) she is the coordinator of the Public Alternatives project, including the Public Power dossier.

Lavinia Steinfort

Her research covers (re)municipalisation of public services, a just transition towards energy democracy and transforming finance for the 99% with the aim of coalition building across social movement groups. Her publications range from (2023) Progressive Public Procurement Toolkit, (2023) Energy Transition Mythbusters and (2020) The Future is Public: Towards Democratic Ownership of Public Services to (2019) Public Finance for the Future We Want, (2018) One Treaty to rule them all about the Energy Charter Treaty and (2017) Communal Performativity – A Seed for Change on the solidarity of Thessaloniki’s social movements in the diverse fights against neoliberalism. 

Latest work

  • Los Mitos de la Transición Energética El desmantelamiento de los seis mitos políticos que amenazan la descarbonización

    • Democracia Energética
    • Transición Justa
    • Crisis Climática
    • Servicios públicos democráticos
    Cover image

    Dado que la crisis climática se agrava día a día, este informe procura poner en tela de juicio seis mitos perniciosos pero influyentes acerca de la transición energética. En conjunto, estos mitos pretenden persuadirnos de que el sector privado, el libre mercado, precios más bajos y la descentralización pueden descarbonizar el sistema energético, y que los derechos de propiedad intelectual y los tratados de protección del comercio y la inversión son necesarios para facilitarlo. Estos mitos impiden que los responsables políticos, los movimientos sociales y las comunidades defiendan, generen y aboguen por soluciones reales: sistemas públicos de energía que puedan descarbonizar la sociedad de manera democrática.

    Online report by
    • Lavinia Steinfort
    • James Angel

  • Reclaiming Energy "Green" Multinationals hijacked the Energy Transition: Public Power can save it

    Energy Democracy

    The planet is likely to surpass the 1.5C global warming threshold. At the same time, Bloomberg New Energy Finance has recently stated that “the outlook for energy transition (looks) extremely bright.” What’s going wrong? This webinar exposes the business models of “green” multinationals, alongside the private market model that underpins them. Find out how these companies are wrecking the climate and preventing policy makers, social movements and communities from building real solutions: public power systems that can democratically decarbonise society.

    Video by
    • Lavinia Steinfort
    • Olivier Petitjean
    • Jaybee Garganera
    • Alejandra Lozano
    • Clémence Dubois
    • Rana Adib

  • Progressive Public Procurement Toolkit Building local democratic economies through public community partnerships

    • Public Community Collaborations
    • Democratic Public Services
    • Transformative Local Politics
    Cover image

    Progressive public procurement is gaining global momentum as governments prioritize social criteria in purchasing goods and services. Focused on strengthening workers' rights, reducing socio-economic inequalities, and fostering citizen participation, this approach transforms local economies. This report emphasizes community wealth-building through democratic ownership. Public community collaborations, as detailed in case studies, showcase the shift from global outsourcing to supporting local cooperatives and enterprises. This toolkit offers valuable lessons for policymakers, promoting transparent, participatory, and transformative public procurement practices worldwide.Order print copy

    Report by
    • Louisa Valentin
    • Lavinia Steinfort
See all work by Lavinia Steinfort

Key documents

  • The Future is Public Democratic Ownership of Public Services

    • Water Justice
    • Energy Democracy
    • Remunicipalisation
    Report

  • Public Finance for the Future We Want

    • Finance
    • Democratic Public Services
    • Just Transition
    • Public Community Collaborations
    Book by
    • Lavinia Steinfort
    • Mary Mellor
    • Stewart Lansley
    • Duncan McCann
    • Milford Bateman
    • Benny Kuruvilla
    • Thomas M. Hanna
    • Ana Álvaro
    • Agnes Gagyi
    • Frank Vanaerschot
    • Thomas Marois
    • Oscar Reyes
    • Ludovic Suttor-Sorel
    • Carla Santos Skandier

  • Reclaiming Public Services How cities and citizens are turning back privatisation

    • Water Justice
    • Democratic Public Services
    • Remunicipalisation
    Report by
    • Satoko Kishimoto
    • Olivier Petitjean
    • Lavinia Steinfort

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