National VS International Energy Policies
About the program
With the beginning of the 21st century the Asia Pacific region became the locomotive of global economic development. Fast economic growth and an increase in the quality of life lead to increased energy consumption, and this in turn has had an impact on the structure of global energy consumption, the geography of supplies, as well as investment decisions of energy companies. Two courses of this module will be devoted specifically to the analysis of Asia. In the course “Energy Security in Asia” we will study the approaches to energy security across the region. In “China and the Energy Transition” we will focus more on China and examine its energy policies in light of the energy transition. The third course of this module deals with national oil companies, i.e. the state-owned companies from petroleum producing countries that control the lion’s share of the world’s oil and gas reserves and account for the bulk of the global hydrocarbon production. The course investigates these companies’ history, their current and future role and place in international energy markets, as well as the problems and challenges they face — including those generated by climate policy and the energy transition. The fourth course is devoted to the complex relations between Arctic populations and the oil and gas companies working in the Russian Arctic region.
How is the program arranged?
The program is conducted online. There is no need to worry about your location to take it. Nevertheless, we will make sure that participants have the full support of EUSP staff and professors.
The program can be taken either as an independent unit or as part of the three-module program “Energy Politics and Energy Transition in Eurasia” leading to a Master of Arts degree.
Courses
- ENERGY SECURITY IN ASIA
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The first building block of this course is the basics of energy. Such terms and concepts as energy demand and supply balance, total primary energy supply, total final energy consumption, energy mix, primary and secondary energy resources and country energy balances are explained. We also review key recent trends in international energy during the first lectures. The second building block is the concept of energy security and its links to various concepts within International Relations theory. From a practical point of view and throughout the 20th century, energy has become a crucial aspect of international relations, and this has led to the inclusion of the concept of energy security in the structure of international security and other theories and concepts of international relations. Finally, the largest amount of time within the course is devoted to the discussion of various Asian economies and their energy systems, as well as key aspects of their interactions in energy sphere. The Asia Pacific region is home to the world’s largest energy resource buyers such as Japan, China, and South East Asian countries as well as established suppliers of oil and gas to the international market such as Indonesia and Malaysia. Asia is characterized by a rapid pace of growth in energy demand as well as increasing weight in international politics.
- CHINA AND THE ENERGY TRANSITION
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China is one of the world's largest economies and energy consumers. Traditional energy resources, and coal in particular, represent the major share of China’s energy mix. In 2020, China announced plans to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. Such large-scale plans to rebuild the energy system have several consequences for the rest of the world. First, it will significantly affect the dynamics of international trade as China, one of the largest importers, decreases its dependence on these energy resources. Secondly, today China is already a world center for technological development and the production of equipment necessary for "green energy" with a significant part of the materials needed for the renewable energy industries produced in China. The course includes introductory lectures on China's energy system and the place that the country occupies in the international energy system. Discussions will then explore the scale of the measures undertaken by China over the past decades in the context of the climate agenda, and the technologies that are developing in the country and becoming available to other countries. Finally, together we will analyze the consequences of China’s energy transition in terms of global energy and geopolitics.
- NATIONAL OIL COMPANIES IN THE GLOBAL ENERGY SECTOR
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The course explores the national oil companies (NOC) in the world, i.e. the state-owned companies from petroleum producing countries that control the lion’s share of the world’s oil and gas reserves and account for the bulk of the global hydrocarbons production. Their history, their current and future role and place in international energy markets, their problems and challenges including those generated by climate policy and energy transition, are investigated. A special focus is made on NOC non-commercial (i.e. social and political) functions and their implications for the competitiveness of an NOC vis-à-vis international oil companies (IOC). The course studies the reforms of the national oil companies that have been implemented or are currently being implemented in certain petro-states. Main aspects of their corporate strategies are described and certain prevailing myths about NOCs are discussed. The course includes 2 case studies: Latin America (Pemex, PDVSA and Petrobras) and Russia (Rosneft).
- ENERGY POLICY AND INDIGENOUS POPULATIONS OF THE RUSSIAN ARCTIC
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This course introduces students to current social situation in the Russian Arctic and to complex relations between today’s Arctic indigenous and other populations along with the oil and gas companies working in the region. The course is aimed at Russian and international students and young professionals who are interested in the topic and/or are planning to work in the Arctic or with Arctic issues.
- ACADENIC WRITING
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Cost
The duration of the program is 2 months. For information on the start date and cost of the program, please contact us international@eu.spb.ru.
How to apply?
- Send an email to international@eu.spb.ru with “NATIONAL VS INTERNATIONAL ENERGY POLICIES” in the subject line and ask any questions you might have.
- Fill out the application form you receive.
- Write a motivation letter.
- Have an interview with the academic director of the program.
- Receive confirmation of your enrollment.