Geopolitics of the Energy Transition (MEE200)

This course gives the student insight in how energy and environmental topics influences the international political agenda. It focuses on the traditional institutional structures like the UN-system, as well as bilateral relations between countries rich on energy resources and countries concerned by the environmental challenges these industries are creating.

It discusses the role of different actors in international negotiations, such as established powers like the US and the EU, rising powers like China and India and major energy producers like Saudi Arabia and Russia.

The course places great emphasis on theory, and the two-level game perspective is one point of departure. Theories about rising powers is used as an analytical tool to discuss the conditions for and the likelihood of reaching agreements on important international topics concerning energy and the environment.

It is expected that the students, after completing the course, will have the following knowledge, skills and general competencies.

Knowledge

Students who successfully complete the course will have:

• knowledge of the role energy and environmental policy plays in international relations.
• an understanding of how international agreements and regimes are negotiated.
• knowledge about how domestic politics influences the international negotiation strategies of countries.
• advanced knowledge of international relation theory and the two-level game perspective in particular.
• extended insights on the relationship between energy and environmental politics in international relations.

Skills

Students who successfully complete the course will be able to:

• apply the theoretical approaches of international relation theory on different agreements and regimes related to energy and the environment.
• critically assess and evaluate different negotiation strategies.

General competence

Students who successfully complete the course will be able to:

• use the knowledge and skills in the analysis of the role energy- and environmental problems plays in international relations.

Course teacher(s)

Course coordinator:

Lectures.

Student assignments.

Books:

Andresen, Steinar, Boasson, Elin Lerum and Hønneland, Geir (eds.) (2012): International Environmental Agreements - An Introduction. London: Routledge.

Yergin, Daniel (2011): The quest: Energy, security, and the remaking of the modern world. New York: Penguin Press.

Articles:

Banerjee, Subhabrata Bobby (2012): A climate for change? Critical Reflections on the Durban UN Climate Change Conference. Organization Studies 33 (2): 1761-1786.

Narlikar, Amrita (2013): Introduction: Negotiating the rise of new powers. International Affairs, 89:3: 561-576.

Putnam, Robert D. (1988): Diplomacy and Domestic Politics: The Logic of Two-Level Games, International Organization, Vol. 42(3): 429-460.

Changes in course curriculum can occur. These will be announced before course start on Canvas.