Prof. Elizabeth Thurbon1, Dr Alexander M. Hynd2, Professor Andrew Walter3, Professor Hao Tan4, Associate Professor Adam Fish5, Associate Professor Christian Downie6
1UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia, 2University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia, 3University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia, 4University of Nottingham, Ningbo, Ningbo, China, 5UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia, 6ANU, Canberra, Australia
Biography:
Alexander M. Hynd is a Lecturer at the University of Melbourne’s Asia Institute and is a co-chief investigator on the Green Energy Statecraft Project. He has previously held fellowships at UNSW Sydney, CSIS Indonesia, and Pacific Forum.
Elizabeth Thurbon is Professor of International Political Economy, Deputy Head of School (Research) in the School of Social Sciences, and Director of the Green Energy Statecraft Project. Her work examines the state's strategic role in transformative national governance.
Andrew Walter is Chair of Politics and Professor of International Relations in the School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Melbourne. He is also a co-chief investigator on the Green Energy Statecraft Project. He has published widely on the political economy of international money, finance, wealth and investment.
Hao Tan is a Professor in Management and Associate Dean (Education and Student Experiences) at Nottingham Business School China, within the University of Nottingham Ningbo, China. He is also a co-Chief Investigator on the Green Energy Statecraft Project. His research focuses on energy transitions, particularly within the context of China, and their global implications from management and policy research perspectives.
Adam Fish is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, School of Arts and the Media, at the University of New South Wales. He is also a co-chief investigator on the Green Energy Statecraft project. Dr. Fish employs ethnographic, participatory, and creative methods to examine the social, political, and ecological impacts of new technologies.
Christian Downie is a Professor in the School of Regulation and Global Governance at the Australian National University, where he is the Director of the Governing Energy Transition (GET) Lab. He is also a co-chief investigator on the Green Energy Statecraft Project. Christian has worked as an advisor to several Australian Government agencies including DCCEEW and PM&C.
Abstract:
This roundtable discussion will focus on the governance of the green energy transition, with a particular focus on questions of state capacity in Australia and other Anglophone countries, in comparison with Northeast Asian states. Anglophone countries in particular have struggled with policy implementation due to political and institutional obstacles, especially when compared to East Asian nations. Participants will discuss why transitions have faltered in some contexts, and what new governance strategies can be implemented to overcome these challenges and ensure a durable, politically feasible energy transition? One approach favoured by discussants is the transformative potential of new statecraft varieties, in the form of Green Energy Statecraft. By rapidly building and scaling new green energy industries, governments can: reduce fossil fuel import dependence; create new job and export industries; reduce carbon emissions; and promote a just and inclusive transition to strengthen social cohesion and mitigate political polarization. This roundtable will contribute to comparative politics, energy policy, and the development of strategies that enhance both national and international green energy efforts.