The Russia-Ukraine war: An inflection point for sustainable energy transitions

Geopolitics of energy and the green transition

Energy geopolitics, the location of energy sources in relation to where they are used, has long shaped possibilities for energy access and affordability.

Fossil fuels, which continue to dominate global energy systems and trade, are unevenly distributed around the world. This means that only some ‘producer’ countries have direct access, while most are net primary energy importers dependent on supplies from other countries for their energy. This is one reason why energy security has become such a significant foreign policy consideration over the years.

Supply chains and transit are also important considerations in energy geopolitics. Fossil fuels need to be extracted, refined, and transported to become usable. This, in turn, depends on complex supply chain systems made up of extensive pipelines and shipping routes connecting sites of production and conversion to end users.

Oil has long been a globally traded product, but gas markets, through the development of liquified natural gas (LNG), are also becoming global. These are the markets into which the EU is currently tapping to diversify away from Russian imports.

FEPS and Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) organised this expert webinar to discuss the geopolitics of the EU energy transition and launch FEPS’s new Policy Brief ‘The Russia-Ukraine war: an inflection point for sustainable energy transitions‘ written by Dr Caroline Kuzemko, Reader in International Political Economy at the University of Warwick.

• 16:00-16:05 – Welcome remarks by David Rinaldi, FEPS Director of Studies and Policy
• 16:05-16:20 – Presentation by Dr Caroline Kuzemko, Reader in International Political Economy at the University of Warwick
• 16:20-16:25 – Reaction on the presentation and Policy Brief by Malik Ben Achour, Member of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives
• 16:25-16:50 – Q&A
• 16:50-16:53 – Final reaction by Caroline Kuzemko
• 16:53-16:56 – Final reaction by Malik Ben Achour
• 16:56-17:00 – Closing remarks by David Rinaldi & next steps