can be seen above, win-win governance thanks to
China’s participation will become possible.
Box 21: The concept of global energy
governance
Governance is an important part of global
energy cooperation. It consists of international narratives, norms, rules and formal
and informal organisations that have direct
or indirect impact on energy production,
trade and consumption.
1. Global energy governance is a series of
arrangements centred on the governments of sovereign countries. It
includes multilateral conventions,
international and regional organisations
and bilateral partnerships.
2. It also includes the arrangements by
which important roles are played by
non-state organisations, such as global
or regional energy exchanges, arbitration mechanisms, supply chain initiatives, and so on. Energy governance
organisations usually involve alliances
with different stakeholders, including
governments, companies, international
organisations,
cities,
and
non-governmental organisations. These
stakeholders all participate in an
orderly,
predictable
international
framework that is related to energy
production, trade and consumption.
Box 22: The advantages and disadvantages of conventional governance
systems
1. International Energy Agency (IEA): An
experienced, professional organisation
with strong executive power, but lacking inclusiveness and the ability to
develop. How distant is China to it?
What is China’s relation to it? How
many conditions (such as OECD
membership) are there and what will be
the cost of reform?
2. Group 20 (G20): A highly authoritative
and representative organisation covering most of the major energy suppliers
and consumers but lacking a dedicated
secretariat and executive power. Will
the G20 Energy Sustainability Working
Group become a platform for leaders of
large countries to demonstrate their
energy and political power?
3. Belt and Road initiative (BRI): An initiative promoted and led by China and
covering most economies, except those
in North and South America. It has
difficulty balancing supply and demand
and in providing services other than the
construction of energy infrastructure.
The impact of BRI on the mainstream
energy governance framework, and its
relationship with the IEA and the G20,
are not clear.
Box 23: China’s participation in global
energy governance
China’s participation in global energy
governance, which has been continuously
expanded and deepened, is closely related
to the global political, economic and
energy landscape.
China was an outsider in all international energy mechanisms before it opened
its economy, after which it gradually integrated with the world and began to participate in global energy governance. In
1983, China became a member of the
World Energy Council. During this initial
period, China was cautious and focused on
exploring and studying international rules.
Since the 1990s, with the development of
its economy, China began to actively participate in global energy governance. In
1991, China joined the APEC Energy
Working Group. It then participated in
676
W. Jigang and P. Webb
China’s participation will become possible.
Box 21: The concept of global energy
governance
Governance is an important part of global
energy cooperation. It consists of international narratives, norms, rules and formal
and informal organisations that have direct
or indirect impact on energy production,
trade and consumption.
1. Global energy governance is a series of
arrangements centred on the governments of sovereign countries. It
includes multilateral conventions,
international and regional organisations
and bilateral partnerships.
2. It also includes the arrangements by
which important roles are played by
non-state organisations, such as global
or regional energy exchanges, arbitration mechanisms, supply chain initiatives, and so on. Energy governance
organisations usually involve alliances
with different stakeholders, including
governments, companies, international
organisations,
cities,
and
non-governmental organisations. These
stakeholders all participate in an
orderly,
predictable
international
framework that is related to energy
production, trade and consumption.
Box 22: The advantages and disadvantages of conventional governance
systems
1. International Energy Agency (IEA): An
experienced, professional organisation
with strong executive power, but lacking inclusiveness and the ability to
develop. How distant is China to it?
What is China’s relation to it? How
many conditions (such as OECD
membership) are there and what will be
the cost of reform?
2. Group 20 (G20): A highly authoritative
and representative organisation covering most of the major energy suppliers
and consumers but lacking a dedicated
secretariat and executive power. Will
the G20 Energy Sustainability Working
Group become a platform for leaders of
large countries to demonstrate their
energy and political power?
3. Belt and Road initiative (BRI): An initiative promoted and led by China and
covering most economies, except those
in North and South America. It has
difficulty balancing supply and demand
and in providing services other than the
construction of energy infrastructure.
The impact of BRI on the mainstream
energy governance framework, and its
relationship with the IEA and the G20,
are not clear.
Box 23: China’s participation in global
energy governance
China’s participation in global energy
governance, which has been continuously
expanded and deepened, is closely related
to the global political, economic and
energy landscape.
China was an outsider in all international energy mechanisms before it opened
its economy, after which it gradually integrated with the world and began to participate in global energy governance. In
1983, China became a member of the
World Energy Council. During this initial
period, China was cautious and focused on
exploring and studying international rules.
Since the 1990s, with the development of
its economy, China began to actively participate in global energy governance. In
1991, China joined the APEC Energy
Working Group. It then participated in
676
W. Jigang and P. Webb