Table Of ContentKatarzyna Gromek-Broc Editor
Regional
Approaches
to the Energy
Transition
A Multidisciplinary Perspective
Regional Approaches to the Energy Transition
Katarzyna Gromek-Broc
Editor
Regional Approaches
to the Energy Transition
A Multidisciplinary Perspective
Editor
KatarzynaGromek-Broc
DepartmentofPoliticalandSocialSciences
UniversityofPavia
Pavia,Italy
AutoritàdiRegolazioneperEnergia
RetieAmbiente(ARERA)/Regulatory
AuthorityforEnergy,NetworksandEnvironment
Milan,Italy
ISBN978-3-031-19357-6 ISBN978-3-031-19358-3 (eBook)
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Foreword
The book, edited by Katarzyna Gromek-Broc, provides a broad overview on the
developments of the energy transition policies implemented in different regions in
theworld.Itprovidesusefulinsightsforstudents,scholars,andmoreingeneralfor
an audience interested in the energy policy developments driven by the
decarbonisation process and innovation. From a unique, multidisciplinary perspec-
tive,thisbookaimstoaddressthechallengesfacedbypolicymakersworldwidein
their search for an equitable balance between socioeconomic and environmental
goals.
A shift away from fossil fuels in energy production and consumption is a
necessaryconditiontoachievethemostneededclimatechangegoals.Infact,energy
production still accounts for over 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions (IEA,
GlobalEnergyReview:CO2Emissionsin2021,March2022).AttheUNClimate
ChangeConferenceinGlasgow(COP26)inNovember2021,over200countries—
amongwhichtheUSAandChina—reaffirmedthegoaloflimitingtheincreaseinthe
global average temperature to well below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels, and
stressed the urgency of action “in this critical decade”, when carbon dioxide emis-
sionsmustbereducedby45%toreachnetzerobymid-century.
The political initiatives adopted almost worldwide reflect to some extent the
changed citizens’ perception about the relevance of climate change and more
generally about the importance of environmental protection. According to the
“People’s Climate Vote poll”, the biggest climate survey conducted worldwide by
UN Development Program in January 2021, almost two-thirds of over 1.2 million
people interviewed worldwide affirmed that climate change is a global emergency
and urged a greater action to address the crisis. In Europe, according to a
Eurobarometer survey, 93% of citizens believes that climate change is a serious
problemandthatitrequiresaction,70%alsobelievesthatadaptationmeasurestothe
impacts of climate change can have positive effects for citizens (Special
Eurobarometer490,Climatechange,April2019).
This book, edited by Katarzyna Gromek-Broc, provides a rich overview of
different approaches to energy transition adopted in Europe, Australia, China,
v
vi Foreword
Russia, Cuba, and Sub-Saharan Africa. The central question of this comparative
policystudy,“Istherearegionalapproachtoenergytransition?”,isansweredfrom
amultidisciplinaryperspectivebyauthorswithaneconomic,socialpolicyandlegal
background.Reducinggreenhousegasemissionsisamajorparadigmshiftthatwill
have a wide and profound effect on our lives and economies as it will gradually
changethewaysweproduceandconsumegoods.
As any major paradigm, energy transition is deemed to have a strong redistrib-
utive effect on our societies, particularly in countries that are most dependent on
fossilfuelsandCO2-intensiveindustries.Thecostsofenergytransitionaretherefore
not equally distributed; this raises a problem of equity as well as of economic and
socialsustainabilityofclimatepolicies.Thepotentialdifferencesintheallocationof
the costs of the transition derive from a variety of factors, such as the production
structure, the availability of natural resources, and the availability of a workforce
withadequateskills.
The book, a unique collection of experiences and analysis of energy transition
policies in different area in the world, demonstrates there are no recipes or “one
solution fits all”: the socio-economic and legal characteristics of the region or
geographicalareamustbecarefullytakenintoconsiderationwhendesigningenergy
transitionpolicies.Therichandbroadoverviewofdifferentperspectivescollectedin
thebook—economic,social,legal,andinstitutional—providesmanyinterestingand
stimulative ideas for a better understanding of the complexities and dynamics of
policychanges.
Differentregionsintheworldareandwillbeimpactedinaverydifferentmanner
by the present energy crisis started in the second half of 2021 as an energy supply
shortage at global level in the post Covid recovery period. The strong increase of
demand for natural gas in Asia—pulled also by the energy transition policies
adoptedbyChinaillustratedinoneofthepapers—increasedcompetitionfornatural
gas supplies diverting LNG flows to South-East Asia causing energy price spikes,
never recorded since the oil crisis in the ’70s. The growing geopolitical tensions
culminatedintheinvasionofUkrainebyRussiaattheendofFebruary2022raised
inEuropenewattentionandseriousconcernsonissuesofenergysecurityofsupply,
affordabilityfordomesticconsumers,andcompetitivityoftheindustrialproduction
which will necessarily impact on the pace of the decarbonisation strategy in the
continent.
The more recent crisis of the energy prices, deriving from economic and
geo-political factors, will add a new dimension to an already complex scenario for
future-proofenergytransitionpoliciesinwhichmulti-regionalandmultidisciplinary
approachesaregoingtobeneededmoreandmore:thecontributionprovidedbythis
bookisalreadyastepinthatdirection.
ARERA,Milan,Italy ClaraPoletti
BoardofRegulatorsofACER,Milan,
Italy
Preface
Energysupply,production,andsavinghavedominatedthepoliticaldebateforsome
time now. Soaring prices and the potential energy shortage continue to occupy the
frontpagesofthenewspapers.ThewaronUkraineanditsconsequencesonenergy
supply created a pressing problem for the EU, instilling a sense of anxiety and
uncertainty in the EU population, fearing for shortages in the forthcoming winter
months.Thecurrentenergycrisisisacutelyaffectingthewholeofourplanet.
In this context, the book on “Regional Approaches to Energy Transition” is
perfectly timed. The idea for this book emerged from an international conference
organised by the Department of Political & Social Sciences at the University of
PaviainDecember2020.Theconferencefavouredaninterdisciplinaryperspective,
whichiswell-reflectedinthecontributionstothisvolume.Theinterdisciplinaryand
comparativemethodcanbestconnotethespecificityoftheenergysectorindifferent
partsoftheWorld,reflectingdifferentdynamics.Inaddition,acontextualapproach
is needed to explore the energy problematics consisting of a constant interaction
betweenpolitics,economy,andthelaw.
The book “Regional Approach to the Energy Transition—A Multidisciplinary
Perspective” discusses the key challenges the energy transition is facing at the
European and International level. It is an edited collection bringing together inter-
nationallyrenownedscholars,researchers,EUofficialstoaddressthecurrenttrends
intheenergytransitionanditsdilemmas.Asmentioned,thebookplacestheenergy
transition in a wide multidisciplinary context looking at energy policies, legal
framework,regionalagendas,andthedifficultiesintheirimplementation.Itargues
for a regional approach to the energy transition, questioning at the same time the
strategies and measures put forward for its realisation. It looks first at the EU
commitment to the energy transition and its initiatives providing some examples
ofgoodpracticefromtheMemberStatesbutalsoconsidersthedifficultiestheyare
currently facing. Furthermore, it offers a comparative perspective and the different
approaches to the energy transition from Latin America, China, Africa, and
Australia.
vii
viii Preface
The book also engages with the theoretical debate. It explores the place of
environment in contemporary constitutionalism and discusses the Human Rights
concerns. In relation to the territorial application, it appraises the EU renewable
energypolicies,andtheuseofEUFundsinItalyandSpain.ItlooksattheEuropean
GreenDealintheregionsandenergyauctionsintheEU.Moreover,itincludesthe
Scandinavian Perspective discussing the greenification efforts in the oil and gas
industry in Norway, and the tendencies in legal regulation on renewable energy in
Russia. Furthermore, it examines the situation globally by bringing together some
interestingexamplessuchasthe‘stateandmarket’inChina’scoal-to-gastransition,
the energy transition in Latin-American countries, the regional approach to the
energy transition and electricity in Sub-Saharan Africa, and the regional approach
totheenergytransitioninAustralia.
Inaddition,thebookprovidestheregionalexamplesofthedifficultiestheenergy
sector encounters world widely proposing some local solutions to the local prob-
lems.Itpromotestheexchangeofgoodpracticesandexperiencesnecessarytocarry
out a just and sustainable energy transition. The book is a reference and study
material not only for academics and students but also for policy makers, officials,
andpractitionersdealingwiththeenergytransition.
The introductory chapter written by Mercedes Bresso, a former president of a
Committee of Regions, sets up the scene for the further debate articulating the
conditions for the successful energy transition in the EU. She argues that the EU
mustseizetheopportunitytoredefinetheEUeconomyinlightofthechallengesof
climatechangeandmovetowardsgreeneconomy.
Professor Cordini in his introduction looked at Energy as a multidimensional
conceptthatinteractswithotherdisciplinesatalllevels,whiletherecentdebateon
energy production creates new avenues affecting other fields. Yet, it would be
difficulttodiscussthemeritsofeachofthesixteenchaptersinthisbook.However,
allthecontributionsbringthenewarguments,newideas,andtheirownvisionofthe
energytransition.
Lastly, I would like to express my gratitude to all the speakers who, while not
appearinginthisvolume,tookpartintheconference,inparticularIlariaGalimberti,
Francis Botchway, and Alessandro Venturi, and other friends who helped with the
conference and with the preparation of this volume: Jorge Freddy Milian Gómez,
José Grabiel Luis Cordova, Damiano Fuschi, Giulia Baj, Nikolaos Kontraros-
Tsiokos, and Zuzanna Brocka. I would also want to thank Brigitte Reschke at
Springer for her support and patience. Finally, my wholehearted thanks to all the
authorsfortheircontributions.
Pavia,Italy KatarzynaGromek-Broc
10August2022
Contents
OpeningRemarks:AFewWordsonEnergy-RelatedConsiderations. . . 1
GiovanniCordini
TheEuropeanUnionandRenewableEnergyPolicies. .. . . . . . . . . . . .. 3
MercedesBresso
TheEnvironmentinContemporaryConstitutionalism. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
GiovanniCordini
TheItalianEnergyTransitioninaHumanRightsPerspective. . . . . . . . 19
GiuliaBaj
BeyondtheEnergyTransitionandTowardsaJustTransition. . . . . . . . 33
RaphaelJamesHeffronandLuigiMariaPepe
WindofChange:AScandinavianPerspectiveonEnergyTransition
andthe‘Greenification’oftheOilandGasSector. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
IgnacioHerreraAnchusteguiandAleksanderGlapiak
TheEuropeanGreenDealandRegionalisation:ItalianandPolish
CaseStudies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
KatarzynaGromek-Broc
EnergyAuctionintheEuropeanUnionwithSpecificReference
toMemberStatePracticeinGermanyandFrance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
KoenByttebierandKimVanderBorght
TheEnergyTransitionandtheUseofEUFundsintheSpanish
andItalianLegalSystems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
DamianoFuschi
StateandMarketinChina’sCoal-to-GasTransition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
FrancescoSassi
ix
x Contents
TendenciesofLegalRegulationintheSphereofRenewableEnergy
inRussia. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . 181
VictoriaRomanova
EnergyTransitioninLatin-AmericanCountries,ExampleCuba:
LookingforInterconnectionswithFoodSovereignty. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
JorgeFreddyMilianGómez,JoséGrabielLuisCordova,andYanelys
DelgadoTriana
IsThereaRegionalApproachtotheEnergyTransition
inSub-SaharanAfrica?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
EliasZigah
IneluctableTransnationalism,andtheRegionalApproach
totheEnergyTransition. . . . . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . . . .. 233
NavrajSinghGhaleigh
FromCoaltoClimateChange:AnAustralianPerspectiveonthe
EnergyTransition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
TinaSolimanHunterandMadelineTaylor
AComparativeAnalysisofElectricityAccessInitiativesin
Sub-SaharanAfrica. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
EliasZigahandAnnaCreti
Conclusion:WhatDoestheFutureHoldfortheEnergySector?. . . . . . 307
KatarzynaGromek-Broc
