Energy - Climate
In the face of the climate emergency and geopolitical confrontations, how can we reconcile security of supply, competitiveness, accessibility, decarbonization and acceptability? What policies are needed?
Related Subjects
A Strategy for Solving Europe’s Imported Deforestation Problem
The European Union (EU) is the world’s main trader in agricultural products, with imports totaling €142 billion in 2020. These imported agricultural products include commodities – palm oil, beef, cocoa, coffee, soy, etc. – that are responsible for deforestation in producing countries and thus create an “imported deforestation” problem for Europe.
The Missing Guest: Energy Efficiency in the Multilateral Energy Arena
Since the 1970s, energy efficiency has gained visibility as a low hanging fruit – its potential impact on critical issues such as climate change, energy security, or competitiveness is now widely acknowledged, even more so in times of higher energy prices.
Facing a Wall: Climate in the German Elections and Perspectives for France
All key candidates have climate neutrality by 2045 in sight, yet Germany is preparing to embark on a high-speed decarbonization train that has neither enough power nor rails to lead to its final destination. Beyond slogans and principles, effective strategies have often been missing.
After the Hydrogen Bubble Bursts: The Factors Shaping and Possibly Unfolding International Hydrogen Value Chains
The laws of physics and the geographic realities will prevail over the myths of hydrogen (H2): it will essentially be delivering carbon-neutral feedstocks to the chemical and steelmaking industries, carbon-neutral fuels to shipping and aviation, and eventually ensuring security in fully decarbonized power grids.
Geopolitics of the World’s Forests: Strategies for Tackling Deforestation
Deforestation continues at a worrying pace worldwide, except in temperate and boreal countries. It is caused by the race for land, underpinned by population growth and rising global demand for “deforestation-prone” products. Moreover, with climate change, mega-fires are now posing unprecedented threats to forests.
Climate and International Trade: The Clash of Powers
The fight against climate change has a major economic dimension. With climate neutrality as their new objective, the major powers are counting on green industrial policy, and trying to contain the emissions related to their imports.
CCUS in Europe: A New Role and Implications for France and Germany
A second wave of carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) projects is under development, and it is much different from the 2000 wave. While Norway, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands are at its forefront, France and Germany have major competencies, and many projects could be carried out in these countries.
Mexico’s Energy Policies During the Presidency of Andrés Manuel López Obrador: Sovereignty and Security
In power for three years, President López Obrador leads a National Revolution. The energy sector sees the strengthening of the State and state-owned companies, the Federal Electricity Company and Petróleos Mexicanos, against the liberalization principles implemented in the Energy Reform (2013-2014).
India’s Energy and Climate Policies Post COVID-19: Short Term Slowdown, Longer Term Boom in Renewables
India has long been a positive and committed partner in global and domestic climate change mitigation efforts.
The Herculean Task of Decarbonizing the American Power System by 2035
The Biden Administration has so far taken the focus of the Biden candidate on climate issues seriously, especially the commitment made during the campaign of a net zero power system by 2035.
A Tragic Tale of Corn and Congress
Ever since Iowa landed the privilege of holding the first Presidential primary, no candidate has the political courage to confront the $11 billion subsidy price tag of US corn ethanol. Everyone agrees we need to dilute our supply and price vulnerability in transportation fuels and everyone agrees we need to decarbonize the transport sector. But surely not this way.
Unconventional Gas: A Game Changer for Transport Too?
A new technology trend, the development of natural gas vehicles, is emerging in the transport sector.
Chinese Climate Policy: Institutions and Intent
Until the late 1990s, the balance of Chinese energy production and consumption was treated by the rest of the world as a net figure. No one knew what was going on inside the Chinese economy - it was a black box. As far as anyone was concerned, the Chinese would not soon be a major factor in world energy markets.
The EU internal market - a stake or a tool in European-Russian gas relations. The case of new member states gas policy
Since 2010 we have observed a new quality in EU energy policy. It is related to the European Commission’s more or less direct engagement in the bilateral gas relations of a part of the new member states - Poland, Bulgaria and Lithuania - with Russia.
OPEC: It Is about More Oil - Not Quotas
OPEC has certainly gone out of its way to show how little relevance it has in today’s oil market. It has successfully imported all the political rhetoric and malaise of some of its most unstable members.
Protecting Nuclear Installations: The difference between industrial safety and national security
There is a gritty public debate going on in Europe about what threats should be considered in conducting stress tests on existing nuclear power plants or in establishing safety criteria for new build nuclear power.
German Nuclear: Green Is Good Politics
In polarized politics, the voter must take on faith the wisdom inherent in the principled political position. Who cannot be impressed by the nuclear catastrophe at Fukushima, especially after living through the fallout from Chernobyl? But is it reasonable to send the voter to the booth with only half the information? Does the German voter have any idea what it means to shut down its nuclear power in just ten years? Have German politicians made any effort to tell them?
Political Oil Prices: A Measured Response if Any
Oil prices are becoming an increasingly worrisome factor in today’s economies. They have risen dramatically over the past 6 or 7 months and are now driving inflation in many economies and acting as a drag on nearly all. They are not at these levels because markets are fundamentally out of balance.
Gas Pains: What to Do About France's Shales
Like other countries in Europe, France has the potential to produce both oil and gas from shale. In the Paris Basin, where oil has been exploited for decades, oil shale quite similar to the Bakken play in North America has considerable promise due to new drilling and exploitation techniques. The potential for shale gas in the South east is less well known and needs to be assessed.
Obama Remarks on Energy: Ball in Congressional Court
President Obama has made clear that in the 2012 election, he intends to defend his record on energy from the middle.
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Center for Energy & Climate
Ifri's Energy and Climate Center carries out activities and research on the geopolitical and geoeconomic issues of energy transitions such as energy security, competitiveness, control of value chains, and acceptability. Specialized in the study of European energy/climate policies as well as energy markets in Europe and around the world, its work also focuses on the energy and climate strategies of major powers such as the United States, China or India. It offers recognized expertise, enriched by international collaborations and events, particularly in Paris and Brussels.