Syllabus 

1.     Actors of the Energy Transition: Public Institutions - universal and specialised multilateral institutions, intergovernmental regional organisations, regional economic integration organisations, states, subnational entities, cities, and municipalities. Private stakeholders – corporations, industry associations, interest groups and non-profit pressure groups, individuals. Their role and functions, interactions, complementarity, mutual exclusivity, conflicts, and their management.

2.     Instruments of the Energy Transition: Legal: International law, treaties and agreements, customary international law, supranational regulation (REIOs), national laws and regulations. Economic: Taxation, innovation, competition. Diplomatic: negotiations, advanced cooperation of ‘like-minded countries’, sanctions. Dispute resolution: bilateral negotiations, mediation, conciliation, arbitration.

3.     Industries and Technologies involved:  Historical overview of previous energy transitions and their ecological impact. Old industries - Coal, Oil, Gas, Hydro and Nuclear; their role in the energy mix, ways forward to de-carbonisation.

4.     Industries and Technologies involved (cont.) New industries – Solar, Wind, Grid Storage, their role in the energy mix, ways forward to scaling-up. New technologies and nascent industries – Hydrogen, Carbon Capture Storage and Utilisation, New Nuclear (thorium – fusion). Research & Development.

5.     Generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity. Traditional grids, smart grids, storage technologies. Electrification and energy transition. Energy Industry cycles. Investment, technological transfer, and international development. 

6.     Energy Security and Energy Diplomacy. Four pillars of the Energy Security - Security of Supply, Security of Demand, Security of Transit/Transportation, Security for the End Consumer (absence of energy poverty). OPEC, IEA, GECF, ECT. Energy security trilemma. Prevention and Early Warning of Conflicts, managing emerging conflicts, resolving energy conflicts. Elusive ‘peace dividend’. UN Sustainable Development Goal 7

7.     Climate Diplomacy. UNFCCC historical background, evolution, milestones. Rio, Kyoto, Paris. Achievements and its limits. SWOT analyses of the UNFCCC process. Montreal Protocol. Mitigation and adaptation strategies. Role of Advocacy, battle of lobbyists. Public opinion and regulatory impact. G2, G7, G20 formats – elitist alternatives to the UN or source of synergies?

8.     Energy Transition Diplomacy. Identifying key parameters, actors, and stakeholders. Technological transfer and/or investment. Bilateral and Multilateral diplomatic Instruments. Leadership, inclusiveness, and competition. Principle of Common by Differentiated Responsibilities. Role of technological innovation in the energy transition. 

READING:

1) IEA: World Energy Investment 2024 (ONLY Overview and key findings)

2) IEA Global Energy Outlook 2022 - chapter Energy security in energy transitions (pp. 188-233)

3) IEA: The Oil and Gas Industry in Energy Transitions World Energy Outlook special report - Read An Introduction + Key Findings, however, reading of the full report is recommended

4) IRENA: World Energy Transitions Outlook 2024  - Read An Executive Summary and Introduction

5) Example of a national energy strategies 

PRESENATIONS: