Kalender - From a Centralised Energy Supply to Decentralised Sustainability

In this workshop, the prospects for the urgently needed energy transition from fossil fuels to
renewable energies will be approached from the perspective of conflict and cooperation. In
Eastern European countries is no agreement on which technologies should be prioritised in
energy policy, so the arena is highly contested. Renewable energy options like hydropower
come with trade-offs in terms of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as life on
land and life under water, which can lead to conflict within countries and potentially even
between countries. Other energy options also come with advantages and trade-offs. Are
decentralised options more resilient than centralised ones? What role do international
cooperation and shared energy markets play? What are the geopolitical risks associated with
energy transitions? The workshop will address these questions with reference to case
studies.

The workshop is organised by the Centre for East European International Studies (ZOiS) and the
Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development (HNEE) as part of the research network
Conflict and Cooperation in Eastern Europe (www.konkoop.de).

Programme:

12:30 Introduction by Sabine von Löwis (ZOiS)
12:45 Panel 1 – Case studies chaired by Martin Welp (HNEE)
Valentin Krüsmann (ZOiS): China and Kazakhstan’s Energy Transition
Lela Rekhviashvili (Leibniz-Institut für Länderkunde Leipzig): Conflicts over hydropower in
Georgia

13:45 Break

14:00 Panel 2 – Geopolitics chaired by Benjamin Beuerle (Centre Marc Bloch)
Leonie Beaucamp (Germanwatch Berlin): Geopolitical implications in the context of the
emerging green hydrogen sector
Andrew Barry (University College London): Material geopolitics in the South Caucasus and
Black Sea region

For participation please register:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIodeihpjojGtHk6INDtrb6HzE1-GYu7YMH

Convenors: Beril Ocaklı (ZOiS), Martin Welp (HNEE), Sabine von Löwis (ZOiS), Kerstin
Bischl (ZOiS)

KonKoop is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research

Please send enquiries to martin.welp@hnee.de.