Energy Politics in a Changing World

Over the past years, the energy policy landscape has undergone profound changes. We have witnessed the overall merger of climate policy with industrial policy, highlighting the interconnectedness of climate and economic goals while often not being compatible with broader environmental goals. The re-emergence of energy geopolitics and the renewed importance of energy security have underscored the strategic significance of energy resources and the location of energy production – linking also the debates on technology sovereignty and strategic autonomy increasingly to energy policymaking. Global supply chains and energy markets have faced significant strain, prompting a reevaluation of resilience and sustainability. Different technological pathways are accelerating, connecting to changes in the political economy of energy. Onshore and offshore wind power in Europe is expanding rapidly, providing increased opportunities for energy security but being challenged by varying country positions, its effects on military air surveillance, and low acceptability in some countries. Solar energy has emerged as the winner of the green energy technology race, breeding new patterns of energy system governance. Concurrently, the explosion of electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing in China and other regions has unlocked the potential of battery energy storage and introduced transformative changes in the automotive industry. Furthermore, many governments are placing high hopes on energy technologies in early development stages, such as small modular reactors and green hydrogen production. These developments have had significant political implications. As renewable energy technologies and decentralized energy systems gain prominence, new actors and stakeholders are entering the energy policy landscape. They represent new interests and are pushing for new financial and governance patterns in the energy industry. The shifts in the technologies and fuel used are also impacting how energy security should be understood and governed. In addition, they also create winners and losers in the transition, indicating increasing needs to think about how public policies can manage (in)justice considerations of the unfolding transitions. Taken together, these changes are reshaping global economic dynamics and altering the distribution of economic power. This Section explores the complex entanglement of the politics of energy transitions and the interface of energy systems and societies. It seeks to address general issues such as: the interplay between integration and fragmentation in energy politics, changing narratives in energy policy, continuity and change in energy politics, changes and new concerns pertaining to the governance of energy security, and the legitimacy, acceptance and justice of disruptive policy and technological innovations. The Section Chairs envisage the following Panels: (1) Public versus private ownership over new energy technologies: the security and geopolitical implications (Chair: Colin Kimbrell) (2) The political feasibility of energy transitions in frontrunner countries: Achievements, challenges and prospects of renewable development (Chairs: Tor Håkon Jackson Inderberg and Lars H. Gulbrandsen) (3) Trade-offs between social, environmental and security goals in energy policy-making (Chair: Filip Černoch) (4) Inclusivity, acceptance and public legitimacy in energy transition decision-making (Chair: Marja Helena Sivonen) (5) Policies to alleviate energy poverty (Chair: Hedvika Koďousková) (6) Competing narratives in energy politics (Chair: Caroline Kuzemko) (7) Governance of energy security in the face of geopolitical and climate uncertainty (Chair: Paula Kivimaa) (8) Energy policy and the re-emergence of industrial policy (Chair: Louis Fletcher) All the potential panels listed above are seeking contributions, and there will be other panel slots available. We also encourage submissions from early career researchers. The Section welcomes panel and paper proposals that feature novel theoretical contributions, empirical observations, meta-analyses or extended literature reviews. It invites contributions that combine general themes with specific issue areas. These include (but are not limited to) the following: General themes: Energy politics (actors, interests, institutions, governance and regulation) Sociology and psychology of energy (energy-related collective and individual behavior patterns and practices) Justice, equity and democracy (participation, inclusion, acceptance, opposition) Energy and culture (ideas, discourses, narratives) Global energy governance (norms, rules, regimes, clubs) Specific issue areas: Energy and industrial policy Political economy of energy Energy security in the context of the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East Political feasibility of energy transitions Politics of economy-wide electrification Politics of phasing out fossil fuels Low-carbon transportation and new transport paradigms Challenges of digitalizing energy (smart technologies, AI, cybersecurity) Energy markets and energy trade Energy poverty The Section is proposed by the ECPR Research Network on Energy Politics, Policy, and Governance. The Network also proposes and endorses the Transforming climate commitments Section. We suggest that contributions bordering the energy and climate fields be directed primarily there. The Section is chaired by Jan Osička, Colin Kimbrell, Paula Kivimaa, and Caroline Kuzemko. The Section proposal was prepared as a part of the GreenDeal-Net project.