Transatlantic Energy Governance Dialogues

In an environment of tight public budgets in both Europe and the United States, two landmark events have shaken energy markets and the global energy policy landscape: the ‘Arab Spring’, impacting either key oil and gas producing regions or crucial energy transit countries in North Africa and the Middle East; and Japan’s Fukushima nuclear disaster, triggering renewed debates on the future of nuclear energy and its impact on electricity and carbon markets. While, on one hand, these events highlight common issues for the transatlantic alliance with respect to global energy governance, on the other hand they also illustrate a number of diverging policy challenges that Europe and the United States face.

Yet, while both the EU and the US are preoccupied with energy issues, the discussions seem to run in parallel without coming together to weave a genuine transatlantic strategic dialogue on energy security. This is a deplorable state of affairs for two reasons: First, we stand to learn from comparing the energy policy experience and strategies on both sides of the Atlantic. Second, dialogue and cooperation between Europe and the US is essential to devising joint strategies for effectively dealing with the increasingly global challenges of energy security.

Objectives

In order to help fill this gap, the Global Public Policy Institute (GPPi) and the Brookings Institution will conduct the Transatlantic Energy Governance Dialogues program. The purpose of the program is twofold: first, to promote a transatlantic dialogue on energy security and governance issues by bringing together highly qualified young professionals focusing on these issues; and second, to contribute to establishing a transatlantic strategic community on energy security. Such a strategic community is vital for developing innovative new approaches to tackle the political, economic and environmental challenges of energy policy in the 21st century.

GPPi held nine sessions of the Transatlantic Energy Security Dialogues between November 2006 and May 2011. The sessions brought together participants from all relevant sectors (including government, NGOs, business, the media, think tanks and universities) in order to promote a strategic community for building bridges between the US and Europe; between the sub-communities dealing with sustainability, security of supply and economic efficiency; and between policymakers from different parts of the government, civil society, business and the media.