The Global Energy Transition and the Changing Relationship Between the EU and the MENA Region

Decarbonisation of the energy sector is a key dimension of EU and global policy ambitions, with an expected decrease in the demand for hydrocarbons as a result. One of the regions that will be affected by this is the MENA region. The socio-economic situation of that region is very specific, with fossil-fuel exporting countries dependent on the rents of their hydrocarbons to give privileges to vested elites. With hydrocarbon rents expected to fall, government support could diminish. An example of possible consequences is still recently witnessed with the uprisings in countries such as Algeria, Iraq and Egypt. In this paper, I will address this issue by: 1) analyzing possible adaptations of the policies of the MENA region preparing for this energy transition and 2) how the relationship between the EU and the MENA is changing. I will do this by using discourse analysis. Most academic literature on decarbonisation and the EU to date has focused on how to achieve the transition to a low carbon future for the EU but literature on the consequences of the ongoing energy transition for its partners and on the change in relationship between the EU and the MENA region is rather limited. This paper will contribute to fill this gap.