Energy is more than an ordinary commodity — it has always acquired political attributes. Access to energy resources is an important factor for the political and economic development of a country. It not only lays a solid material foundation for the economic development of a country, but also helps to increase its comprehensive national strength and enables the country to pursue an independent foreign policy and to have extensive influence in international politics. The advent of financial globalization, the growing gap between the rich and the poor, and the need to fight global warming are all intertwined with energy concerns. The global energy landscape is evolving dramatically, with the demand centres shifting to emerging Asia and the supply centres bending toward the North America. There is a pressing need for more strategic thinking about the international energy system. The G20 enjoys a unique advantage in being able to promote better coordination of existing and emerging powers and international institutions in the global energy governance.
This conference aims to improve understanding on the key issues about the global energy market and the role of the G20 in global energy governance. It will seek policy recommendations for 2014-2016 G20 Summits. The objective of the conference would be two-fold: (1) catalyze energy governance discussions at the G20 about the opportunities and challenges for its role, and (2) support China’s role in the G20 and global energy governance.
The conference is co-sponsored by CIGI, Shanghai Institutes for International Studies (SIIS), Lowy Institute for International Policy, and the Korea Development Institute (KDI).