Call for Submissions to the Sciences Po Energy Review

Founding Statement

The Sciences Po Energy Review is a publication to advance dialogue about energy. Motivated by the pressing global need for energy transitions, the journal primarily employs a social scientific approach without being constrained by any single discipline. We propose a series of edited issues to feature graduate student writing, highlight and develop contributors by placing them in conversation with peers and experts, and strengthen existing debates and research about energy at Sciences Po and beyond. The publication employs varied and thought-provoking formats to achieve a holistic synthesis of developments and issues in the sphere of energy. The Sciences Po Energy Review operates under the auspices of the European Chair for Sustainable Development and Climate Transition.

Issue No. 2: Financing the Global Energy Transitions: Past, Current and Future Trends

Global ambitions to scale up climate finance have continued to coalesce at COP29. Momentum has been driven partly by the New Collective Quantified Target (NCQG), which is essential for further propelling clean energy transitions. Gaps in investments in clean energy technologies persist and fossil fuels still account for 80% of our final energy consumption. As energy systems remain the largest contributors to global CO₂ emissions following a continuous upward trajectory, challenges regarding the decarbonisation of fossil fuels and its funding require crucial discussions. Central to these is the establishment of a global carbon market, as outlined in Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, with its implications for national energy transition plans under intense scrutiny.

While investments in clean energy technologies have been increasing significantly, and despite massive strides in technology maturity and cost reduction for certain clean energy technologies, much is yet to be done. According to the IEA’s Tracking Clean Energy Progress (TCEP), only solar PV, batteries for EV and lighting systems – out of 50 critical components for clean energy transitions – are on track to achieve the Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario. This gap underscores the urgency of ramping up investments in clean energy across the board. However, in a capital-constrained world, allocative decisions are increasingly shaped by competing considerations of economic priorities, (geo)political dynamics, efficiency, and sustainability.

Despite the urgency of financing energy transitions, there remain several unanswered questions. What does the outcome of COP29 mean for energy transitions? How can alternative financing instruments or agreements such as the Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JETPs) be leveraged successfully? What is and what should be the role of states, International Financial Institutions (IFIs) and the private sector? Furthermore, when discussing energy financing, accounting for geopolitical issues is crucial. Currently, 85% of clean energy investments are directed towards advanced economies and China, while emissions continue to accelerate elsewhere, highlighting a misalignment between where funding is allocated and where it could have the greatest impact. Why does such an imbalance exist and how can it be addressed? More specifically, what can be done to improve the risk profile of investments in Emerging Market and Developing Economies (EMDEs)? How are geopolitical tensions impacting climate policy decisions in the EU and the US and what are their impacts on investment trends and energy transitions?

In parallel, new technologies with non-negligible electricity consumption levels are updating the patterns of energy investments by the private sector. Notably, nuclear energy technologies are receiving renewed attention for their potential to power the rapidly growing data center industry. Are these developments instrumental or a hindrance to the energy-climate nexus?  How do shifting investment trends impact the fossil fuels industry?

As the momentum of the global energy transition must intensify, the role of policy in shaping effective financing strategies has become increasingly critical. Are there any trailblazers whose successful investment-attracting policies could be studied and applied elsewhere? As the window for successful, timely transitions continues to narrow, what is needed for success? Submissions could analyse, but are not limited to, themes such as the challenges and opportunities in scaling climate finance, investment patterns into the fossil fuel industry and global carbon markets, addressing investment imbalances in emerging and developing economies, the role of policy and geopolitical dynamics in shaping energy financing, and the impact of shifting technologies and investment trends on energy transitions. We encourage submissions to adopt a global and/or transnational perspective.

Issue’s structure

The second issue of the Sciences Po Energy Review will delve into the contours of global energy transitions’ financing issues through three formats: debates, expert commentaries/ critical essays, and an annotated bibliography.

Detailed guidelines for open submissions to the Review can be found here.

The debate section will deep-dive into debates under the theme of the issue. The debate questions of the issue are:

1. Are innovative financial instruments, such as carbon markets and green bonds, effective in bridging the financing gap for the energy transition globally?
2. Should financial institutions cease providing loans and underwriting for fossil fuel projects, or is it more prudent to implement a transition period that balances environmental goals with the economic and energy needs of the present?

Submissions to the debate section should aim for a length of 750-1,000 words.

The expert commentaries/critical essays section will collect submissions from those with professional, practical and/or academic experience relevant to the theme of the issue. Authors / co-authors may submit up to one critical essay per issue. Submissions are encouraged to be an opinion-style piece to reflect upon/raise awareness of your topic or a longer article that presents arguments in a more scholarly style. Authors are welcome to build on work they have created previously or with newly written arguments. They are also welcome to co-author pieces. The length is encouraged to be around 1,500-3,000 words.

The annotated bibliography section, compiled by the editorial team, will act as a curated reference to energy literature, offering a comprehensive overview of key works related to each issue’s focus. It will catalogue each entry under its relevant sub-topic. These sub-topics will be introduced with concise summaries, underscoring their significance and contributions to the field. This section aims to be a resource offering insights and guiding further exploration into the theme of the issue.

Call for Submissions Details

• We welcome submissions from graduate students, young professionals, and research scholars working in energy finance and related fields.
• Submissions to the debate and expert commentaries/critical essays should follow these detailed guidelines.
• All submissions to be sent to: energy-review-scpolst@sciencespo.fr
• Submission deadline: Sunday, 5 January 2025

Editorial team

The current editorial team comprises students enrolled in the Paris School of International Affairs (PSIA) at Sciences Po.
Founding Editors: Ernest Lee and Gabriele Romeo;
Incoming Editors: Isha Hiremath and Madeleine Tron;
Editorial Board Members: Nathalia Feinberg and Ana Diaz Vidal

Senior advisors

The academic rigour and intellectual integrity of the Sciences Po Energy Review is enhanced and guaranteed through the appointment of two senior advisors:

• Marc Ringel – Chairholder at the European Chair for Sustainable Development and Climate Transition at Sciences Po
• Giacomo Luciani – Scientific Director, Master in International Energy Transitions, Paris School of International Affairs, Sciences-Po Paris