The Politics of Resilient and Just Energy Transitions: Institutions and Critical Infrastructure

Low-carbon transitions involve resilience challenges associated with the implementation of new energy systems, green electrification and related critical infrastructure. This is especially true in the current context of growing international competition and conflict, in which physical and cyberattacks against energy systems have become a reality. Political leaders and policy-makers are called upon to make urgent decisions on how to implement the transition; identifying apt policies, adapting institutions and ensuring their resilience are central conundrums. At the same time, it is important to ensure that energy transitions are just and not overly securitised.

The key questions addressed in this thematic issue include the following:

• How do we conceptualise the resilience of critical energy infrastructure?

• What are the main security risks to energy infrastructure in the context of green transition and geopolitical conflict and what are existing policy frameworks to tackle them?

• What are the political and governance challenges related to new energy infrastructure development?

• How are resilience and justice conceptualized and operationalised in the policies of major global actors and energy transition leaders (i.e., the US, China, EU, Japan, Germany, Finland, and Norway)?

We invite submissions that offer empirical and conceptual insights on topics including resilience and/or justice in energy transitions; adapting institutions and infrastructure to low carbon transitions; cyber and other security threats to new infrastructure related to the energy transition; case studies of new energy transition projects highlighting resilience and justice issues; resilience challenges of low-carbon energy systems, from renewables to nuclear power (i.e., small modular reactors); the governance of the energy transition with specific reference to new critical infrastructure.