Renewable energy diplomacy and transitions: An environmental peacebuilding approach

Abstract

Energy diplomacy is one of the key determinants in achieving net zero emissions by 2050. The traditional concept of energy diplomacy is rooted in national security and fossil fuel supplies, which is disconnected from global efforts to develop and deploy renewables at a pace that can limit global warming to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels. Extant studies have not systematically analyzed the theoretical underpinnings of the form of energy diplomacy that can drive energy transition. This article proposes the concept of ‘renewable energy diplomacy’, which is comprised of four interconnected elements: Collaborative Resource Governance, Digital Trust Building, Energy-Environment Interdependence and Capacity Building. Renewable energy diplomacy provides a theoretical foundation based on environmental peacebuilding to address the critical geopolitical challenges that constrain energy transition.