Abstract
Gathering momentum for the energy transition—supported by ambitious net-zero roadmaps by governments (EU, China, and
US) and multinational corporations—has sparked debate on what the energy map will look like in 30 years. For more than half a
century now, access to oil and natural gas has been at the heart of the geopolitics of energy; but with renewable technologies
set to dominate energy supply systems, relations between states will change, while economies and societies will undergo
structural transformations. This issue of the Oxford Energy Forum discusses the drivers and main features of the ‘old’ and ‘new’
geopolitics of energy. It assesses the power shifts that are unfolding, the winners and losers—both countries and
technologies—that are likely to emerge from this process, and the potential implications for global governance regimes. Our
authors ask whether the prospects of peak oil demand will dim the geopolitical forces shaping producer–consumer relations and
upend geopolitical arrangements which have been defining elements of regional power systems. They discuss the future of
natural gas in the energy transition, and whether producers are adapting their strategies. They ask: who will lead the race for
new technologies and supply chains? And how will US–China competition and coordination impact global efforts to meet the
Paris climate goals?
