S1622 Introduction to Energy Politics (Sustainable Development Sp. Track)
Mironova Irina, Sharples Jack
The course will consist of weekly lectures and seminars, and will be supplemented by the students’ own study. The course begins by introducing students to the basic elements of energy studies, to ensure that students from various disciplines attain the level of basic knowledge required to engage with the topics discussed throughout the remainder of the course.
During the course, students will become familiar with key concepts and approaches to the study of energy politics, the practical realities of the production, trade, and consumption of different forms of energy at the national, regional, and global levels. The students will also study the relationship between energy and politics at the domestic and international levels. These areas of study will be situated in a ‘real world’ context through the use of case studies relevant to the Eurasian region in general, and to Russia in particular.
Teaching format
Each week will consist of one lecture, followed by one seminar. The lectures will take place on Tuesdays (11.00 – 12.30) and the seminars will take place on Thursdays (11.00 – 12.30). In addition to these lectures and seminars, students are expected to engage in at least two hours per week of private study, in preparation for the seminars. The seminars are designed to be interactive discussion forums, in which the students will exchange opinions and ideas based on their private study.
Students will each deliver one presentation to their peers during one of the semester seminars.
Contact details and office hours
Week 1-7: Irina Mironova (imironova@eu.spb.ru)
Meetings and consultations by prior appointment
Week 8-14: Jack Sharples (jsharples@eu.spb.ru)
Meetings and consultations by prior appointment
Week 1. Introduction
This session introduces the course, its structure, and its aims. It will define the methods of examination, and the expectations of students’ self-study. It will also provide reading lists and sources of information relevant to each of the subsequent topics, and give students advice on using internet resources as a tool of study. Finally, this session will give a basic introduction to the different energy types, their characteristics, and the importance of each state’s ‘energy mix’, giving each student a basic platform on which to build their knowledge of energy politics, regardless of their previous experience.
Questions to guide the reading:
1. What are the major types of energy resources?
2. What are the main differences between these resources?
3. How are each of these resources used?
Core Reading
Shepherd & Shepherd, 2003. Energy Studies. London: Imperial College Press. p. 97-103 (coal), 125-126 (Oil), 161-162 (Natural Gas), 226-229 (Nuclear).
Week 2. The history and geography of energy 1845-1973
This session considers the ‘age of oil’ from the beginnings of commercial oil production in the mid-nineteenth century until the oil price shocks of 1973, with particular focus on Russia, the United States, and the Middle East as major oil production centres. this session also considers the development of electricity generation from the late nineteenth century, and its influence on primary energy consumption.
Questions to guide the reading:
1. What was the ‘golden age of oil’ and what caused it to end?
2. Which energy resources were the most widely used in the mid-19th century? Why?
3. What developments influenced the increased use of oil in the early 20th century?
Core Reading
Maugeri, L., 2006. The Age of Oil: The Mythology, History, and Future of the World’s Most Controversial Resource. Westport, CT: Prager. p. 77-102.
Further Reading
Parra, 2004. Oil Politics: A Modern History of Petroleum. New York: I.B. Tauris & Co. p. 1-174.
Yergin, D., 1990. The Prize. New York: Simon & Schuster. p. 19-560.
Week 3. The history and geography of energy 1973 to the present
This session examines the development of natural gas and nuclear energy production and consumption, and the impact of fluctuating international oil prices on broader energy consumption. Concludes with a consideration of the current global distribution of coal, oil, natural gas, and nuclear power production and consumption.
Questions to guide the reading:
1. What was the oil crisis of 1973? What was the long-term legacy of this crisis?
2. How has the global energy mix changed since the 1970s? Which fuels are used more often, and why? Which fuels are cheaper, and which are more expensive?
3. How has the global trade in energy changed over the last 40 years?
4. What are the trends that have been established over the past four decades, and which of these might continue into the future?
Core Reading
Maugeri, L., 2006. The Age of Oil: The Mythology, History, and Future of the World’s Most Controversial Resource. Westport, CT: Prager. p. 103-132.
Further Reading
Parra, F., 2004. Oil Politics: A Modern History of Petroleum. New York: I.B. Tauris & Co. p. 175-347.
Yergin, D., 1990. The Prize. New York: Simon & Schuster. p. 563-781.
Week 4. National energy policies
This session assesses how national governments formulate their energy policies, balancing a number of competing political, economic, and social interests. Includes case studies of different states, which face different challenges and have responded with different energy policies.
Questions to guide the reading:
1. What is the central purpose of a state’s energy policy?
2. How influential are states’ energy policies over their energy sectors?
3. Which interests are evident in state energy policy, and which actors lobby in favour of these interests?
Core Reading
Aalto, P., Dusseault, D., Kennedy, D., and Kivinen, M., 2012. Russia’s energy relations in Europe and the Far East. Journal of International Relations and Development, 1-25
Energy Information Agency, 2015. Country Profile: Russian Federation. [pdf] Energy Information Administration, 1-21
Further Reading
Government of the Russian Federation, 2009. Energy strategy of the Russian Federation to 2030. [pdf] Available at: <http://www.energystrategy.ru/projects/docs/ES-2030_(Eng).pdf> [Accessed 20 January 2016]. Pages 10-59.
Gould, T., 2011. A Russian Energy Outlook. [Presentation] OECD/IEA.
International Energy Agency, 2016. Country Statistics: Russian Federation. [online] Available at: <http://www.iea.org/statistics/statisticssearch/report/?country=RUSSIA&product=Indicators&year=2013> [Accessed 20 January 2016].
Week 5. Actors and governance in international energy politics
This session examines the roles of states, supranational organisations, Non-Governmental Organisations, and energy companies in the system of international energy politics, and the systems of governance that constrain and enable those actors.
Questions to guide the reading:
1. What is the role of energy companies in international energy politics?
2. What is the role of states in international energy politics?
3. What is the role of supranational organizations (such as the EU, G8, and World Trade Organisation) in international energy politics?
4. What is ‘governance’ in international energy trade and politics?
Core Reading
Goldthau, A., and Witte, J.A., eds, 2010. Global Energy Governance: The New Rules of the Game. Berlin: Global Public Policy Institute/Washington: Brookings Institute. Read Chapter One (1-25) and Chapter Sixteen (341-357).
Further Reading
Florini, A., and Sovacool, B.K., 2009. Who governs energy? The challenges facing global energy governance. Energy Policy, 37 (12), 5239-5248.
Maltby, T., 2013. European Union policy integration: A case of European Commission policy entrepreneurship and increasing supranationalism. Energy Policy, 55, 435-444.
Pirog, R., 2007. The role of national oil companies in the international oil market. [pdf] United States Congressional Research Service, 2-16
Selivanova. Y., 2007. The WTO and Energy: WTO rules and agreements of relevance to the energy sector. [pdf], 1-34
Week 6. Approaches to the study of energy politics
This session examines a variety of approaches to the study of energy politics from the fields of International Political Economy and International Relations.
Questions to guide the reading:
1. What is theory and how does it help us to analyse empirical data and case studies, such as energy relations between countries?
2. Summarise, in 2-3 sentences, each of the theoretical approaches to energy studies: Political Economy, Geopolitics, Security Studies, [Neo]Realism, [Neo]Liberalism, and Social Constructivism
3. What are quantitative and qualitative data? How are they used in energy studies?
4. What is ‘critical analysis’?
Core Reading
Aron, L., 2013. The political economy of Russian oil and gas. [pdf] American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research, 1-7
Dannreuther, R., 2010. International Relations Theories: Energy, Minerals and Conflict. [pdf] EU Policy on Natural Resources (POLINARES) Working Paper № 8, 1-17
Klare, 2008. Rising powers, shrinking planet: How scarce energy is creating a new world order. Oxford: Oneworld (Chapter 1, pages 9-32)
Further Reading
Griffiths eds, 2007. International Relations Theory for the 21st Century. Abingdon: Routledge. (In particular, see the chapters on Realism, Liberalism, Constructivism, and International Political Economy)
Victor, Jaffe, and Hayes, Natural gas and geopolitics. Cambridge: University Press
Week 7. Energy security
This session focuses on the theory and practice of energy security, including multiple definitions of energy security.
Questions to guide the reading:
1. What does the concept of ‘energy security’ mean?
2. How do energy producers/exporters and energy consumers/importers differ in their views on energy security?
3. How do concerns over energy security relate to the issues of environmental protection, climate change, and economic growth?
Core Reading
Kaveshnikov, N., 2012. Many Sides of Energy Security. International Affairs, 143-156
Luft, G., and Korin, A, ‘Energy Security: In the Eyes of the Beholder’ In: Luft & Korin, 2009. Energy Security Challenges for the 21st Century: A reference handbook. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO.
Further Reading
Belyi, A., 2003. New Dimensions of Energy Security. European Integration, 25:4, 351-369.
Correlje, A., & Van Der Linde, C., 2006. Energy Supply Security and Geopolitics: A European Perspective. Energy Policy, 34, 532-543.
Jewell, J., 2011. Model of Short-Term Energy Security (MOSES). International Energy Agency.
Kaveshnikov, N., 2010. The Issue of Energy Security between Russia and the EU. European Security, 19:4, 585-605.
Pascual & Elkind eds, 2010. Energy security: Economics, politics, strategies, and implications. Washington: Brookings
Sharples, J.D., 2012. Russian-Polish energy security relations: A case of threatening dependency, supply guarantee, or regional energy security dynamics? Political Perspectives, 6 (1), 27-50.
Week 8. Energy and development
This session considers the relationship between energy and the political and economic development of states. In doing so, this session will introduce students to the concepts of ‘Dutch Disease’ and the ‘Resource Curse’, and examples of their manifestation.
Questions to guide the reading:
1. What are the ‘resource curse’ and ‘Dutch disease’? In which countries can we see these phenomena?
2. What is ‘sustainable development’?
3. What is ‘state capitalism’?
Core Reading
Ahrend, R., 2006. How to sustain growth in a resource-based economy the case of Russia. OECD Working Paper № 478, 1-28
Bremmer, I., 2009. State Capitalism Comes of Age. Foreign Affairs, May/June, 1-10.
Further Reading
Kretzshmar et al, 2013. Russia’s resource capitalism. Energy Policy, 61, 771-782.
Oomes, N., & Kalcheva, K., 2007. Diagnosing Dutch Disease. IMF Working Paper № 07/102.
Tompson, W., 2005. Political implications of a resource-based economy. Post-Soviet Affairs, 21 (4), 335–359.
Week 9. Energy and the environment
This session considers the impact of emissions reduction strategies on the use of traditional fossil fuels, the politics of international climate change action, and debates over the safety of nuclear energy and the viability of large-scale renewable energy consumption.
Questions to guide the reading:
1. Which states are the largest emitters of greenhouse gases (GHGs) today?
2. Which states are the strongest advocates of reducing GHG emissions?
3. Which large states are the most reluctant to take on commitments to reduce their GHG emissions and energy consumption?
4. What is the Kyoto Protocol, and how successful has it been in reducing global GHG emissions??
Core Reading
IEA, 2013. CO2 Emissions from Fuel Combustion. [pdf] Paris: IEA, 7-27.
IEA, 2015. World Energy Outlook 2015: Special Report on Energy and Climate Change. [pdf] Paris: IEA, 17-33.
Carbon Brief, 2015. Analysis: The final Paris climate change deal. Carbon Brief, 12 December. [online] Available at: <">http://www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-the-final-paris-climate-deal> [Accessed 20 January 2016].
Harvey, 2015a. Everything you need to know about the Paris climate summit and UN talks. The Guardian, 2 June. [online] Available at: <">http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/jun/02/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-paris-climate-summit-and-un-talks> [Accessed 20 January 2016].
Harvey, 2015b. Paris climate change agreement: the world’s greatest diplomatic success. The Guardian, 14 December. [Online] Available at: <">http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/dec/13/paris-climate-deal-cop-diplomacy-developing-united-nations> [Accessed 20 January 2016].
Further Reading
IEA, 2013. Re-drawing the energy – climate map. [pdf] Paris: IEA. Chapters 1 (p.13-33) and 3 (p.83-115).
Special issue of the journal ‘Environmental Politics’, which focuses on the issues of energy security and climate change. Among its articles, this special issue includes:
Sharples, J.D., 2013. Russian approaches to energy security and climate change. Environmental Politics, 22 (4), 683-700.
Week 10. Energy and the Arctic region
This session analyses the role of the Arctic region in international energy politics, as an arena of competition and cooperation.
Questions to guide the reading:
1. Who are the ‘Arctic states’, and which institutions are active in Arctic governance?
2. What are the main issues in Arctic energy politics?
3. What are the main aims of Russia’s Arctic strategy?
4. How do the issues of energy and environmental protection interact in the Arctic?
Core Reading
Keil, K., 2013. The Arctic: A new region of conflict? The case of oil and gas. Cooperation and Conflict, 6 June, 1-20
Further Reading
Arctic Strategy of the Russian government to 2020 and beyond. Available at: <">http://www.iecca.ru/en/legislation/strategies/item/99-the-development-strategy-of-the-arctic-zone-of-the-russian-federation> (English) [Accessed 20 January 2016].
Loe, J., 2011. Driving forces in Russian Arctic policy. Geopolitics in the High North Working Paper. [pdf] Available at: <http://www.geopoliticsnorth.org/images/stories/attachments/econ_2011.pdf> [Accessed 20 January 2016].
Week 11. Special case study: the global natural gas market
This special case-study session considers several regional natural gas markets, and the gradual evolution towards a global natural gas market. This is an issue with particular relevance to Russia, which is the world’s largest exporter of natural gas.
Core Reading
Aalto, P., 2014. European Energy Security: Natural Gas and the Integration Process. Journal of Common Market Studies, 52 (4), 758-774
Aguilera, R., Inchauspe, J., and Ripple, R., 2014. The Asia Pacific natural gas market: Large enough for all? Energy Policy, 65 (February), 1–6
Further Reading
Stern, J., and Rogers, H., 2014. The Dynamics of a Liberalised European Gas Market: Key determinants of hub prices, and roles and risks of major players. [pdf] Oxford Institute for Energy Studies (December 2014).
Vivoda, V., 2014. Natural gas in Asia: Trade, markets and regional institutions. Energy Policy, 74 (November), 80–90.
Week 12. International energy politics: current trends and future challenges.
This final session analyses current trends in energy production, trade, and consumption, identifying future challenges in the commercial and political spheres.
Questions to guide the reading:
1. What are the currents trends in energy production, transportation, and consumption?
2. Which countries/regions are major energy producers, and which are major energy consumers? Will this change in the future?
3. What are the main current political challenges/flashpoints in world energy?
4. What are the main future challenges in world energy? How can these challenges be overcome?
Reading
There is no specific ‘core reading’ this week. Instead, students should read a selection of the reports listed below. This may include reading the short, ‘executive summaries’ from many reports, or reading a smaller number of reports in greater depth. Students are also encouraged to re-read the lecture notes from previous weeks.
BP, 2015. World Energy Outlook to 2035. [pdf] Available at: <">http://www.bp.com/content/dam/bp/pdf/energy-economics/energy-outlook-2015/bp-energy-outlook-2035-booklet.pdf> [Accessed 20 January 2016].
BP, 2015. Statistical Review of World Energy. [pdf] Available at: <">http://www.bp.com/en/global/corporate/energy-economics/statistical-review-of-world-energy.html> [Accessed 20 January 2016].
Energy Information Administration (EIA), 2015. Annual Energy Outlook: Forecast to 2040. [pdf] Available at: <http://www.eia.gov/forecasts/aeo/pdf/0383(2015).pdf> [Accessed 20 January 2016].
Energy Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 2014. Global and Russian Energy Outlook to 2040. [pdf] Available at: <">http://www.eriras.ru/files/2014/forecast_2040_en.pdf> [Accessed 20 January 2016].
ExxonMobil, 2015. Outlook for energy: a view to 2040. [pdf] Available at: <">http://cdn.exxonmobil.com/~/media/global/files/outlook-for-energy/2015-outlook-for-energy_print-resolution.pdf> [Accessed 20 January 2016].
Eurogas, 2013. Long-term Outlook for Gas to 2035. [pdf] Available at: <">http://www.eurogas.org/media-centre/publications/?tx_ttnews%5Bpointer%5D=1&cHash=9027b4265ed090e5a12fc75ceffb1e4d> [Accessed 20 January 2016].
Eurogas, 2015. Statistical Review. [pdf] Available at: <">http://www.eurogas.org/uploads/2016/flipbook/statistical-report-2015/index.html> [Accessed 20 January 2016].
IEA, 2014. World Energy Outlook. [pdf] Available at: <">http://www.iea.org/textbase/npsum/weo2014sum.pdf> [Accessed 20 January 2016].
IEA, 2014. Medium-Term Gas Market Report. [pdf] Available at: <">https://www.iea.org/publications/freepublications/publication/MTGMR2014_free.pdf> [Accessed 20 January 2016].
IEA, 2014. Medium-Term Oil Market Report. [pdf] Available at: <">http://www.iea.org/publications/freepublications/publication/MTOMR2014_free.pdf> [Accessed 20 January 2016].
IEA, 2015. World Energy Outlook – Executive Summary. [pdf] Available at: <">http://www.iea.org/publications/freepublications/publication/WEB_WorldEnergyOutlook2015ExecutiveSummaryEnglishFinal.pdf> [Accessed 20 January 2016].
IEA, 2015. Medium-Term Gas Market Report – Executive Summary. [pdf] Available at: <">https://www.iea.org/Textbase/npsum/MTGMR2015SUM.pdf> [Accessed 20 January 2016].
IEA, 2015. Medium-Term Oil Market Report – Executive Summary. [pdf] Available at: <">https://www.iea.org/Textbase/npsum/MTOMR2015sum.pdf> [Accessed 20 January 2016].
IEA, 2015. Key World Energy Statistics. [pdf] Available at: <">https://www.iea.org/publications/freepublications/publication/KeyWorld_Statistics_2015.pdf> [Accessed 20 January 2016].
OPEC, 2015. World Oil Outlook. Vienna: OPEC. [pdf] Available at: <">http://www.opec.org/opec_web/static_files_project/media/downloads/publications/WOO%202015.pdf> [Accessed 20 January 2016].
Platts, 2015. Global Energy Outlook 2016. [pdf] Available at: <">https://www.platts.com/IM.Platts.Content/insightanalysis/insightmagazine/2015/2015_gea_insight_zmags.pdf> [Accessed 20 January 2016].
Shell. New Lens Scenarios. [pdf] Available at: <">http://www.shell.com/energy-and-innovation/the-energy-future/shell-scenarios.html> [Accessed 20 January 2016].
Statoil, 2015. Energy Perspectives to 2040. [pdf] Available at: <">http://www.statoil.com/en/NewsAndMedia/News/EnergyPerspectives/Downloads/Energy%20Perspectives%202015.pdf> [Accessed 20 January 2016].
World Energy Council, 2013. World Energy Scenarios to 2050. [pdf] Available at: <">http://www.worldenergy.org/publications/2013/world-energy-scenarios-composing-energy-futures-to-2050/> [Accessed 20 January 2016].
Evaluation
The weighting of the the overall assessment is as follows:
Class participation 25% Mironova, Sharples
Presentation 25% Mironova, Sharples
End of semester essay 50% Mironova, Sharples
The evaluation process will be handled jointly by the instructors of the course. Presentations and essays on will be graded by Dr. Sharples and Ms. Mironova. Class participation grade will be an average of grades given for participation in classes by Ms. Mironova and Dr. Sharples.