Journal of Energy & Natural Resources Law (JERL)

The market for electric vehicles (EVs) appears to be ‘unstoppable’, according to a recent article in The Economist.Footnote1 Moreover, BloombergNEF is forecasting that sales of EVs may skyrocket to 40 per cent of all purchases in 2030 from today’s 10 per cent.Footnote2 To meet that audacious number will require tens of millions of batteries that will in turn require enormous quantities of critical minerals.

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The relationship between the owner of resources and the operator is identified as a core concept in natural resources law, giving the field conceptual cohesion. Owners commonly allocate rights to operator companies rather than developing the resources themselves. The main reasons appear to be access to expertise and risk management.

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This article examines the challenges faced by Norway in implementing intergenerational equity in its offshore petroleum licensing regime. Norway has been considered by many to be a leader in the regulation of its offshore petroleum, with an emphasis on state control and encouraging a prudent approach by operators, but also emphasising rational and efficient solutions.

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‘Microgrid’ is a broad concept that is not determined by a single technical definition. This fact is reflected in the academic literature, which agrees that there is no universal definition of microgrids. While this broad understanding might be beneficial for allowing a broad variety of microgrids, from a legal perspective the absence of a common understanding constitutes a barrier to the development of microgrids.

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China has restated its goal to achieve carbon neutrality before 2060, and the newly launched national emissions trading system (ETS) of 2021 is expected to play a leading role in achieving it. By examining the core design elements of the ETS, this study analyses the legal impediments that may prevent the ETS from achieving China's climate goal.

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The war in Ukraine has challenged the nuclear safety of Ukraine, Europe and the world. This article examines the problems of nuclear safety in Ukraine and outlines some solutions to this ongoing crisis, as well as improvements to international norms where required.

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The European Union has suffered an energy crisis since June 2021 due to cyclical and structural factors, such as the climate crisis, the war in Ukraine and dependence on fossil fuels. EU leaders agreed on a new energy strategy to tackle the crisis and lay the foundations for a sustainable and decarbonised economy. The article aims to analyse energy prices and supply and the measures Europe took in 2022 to tackle the crisis.

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The next wave of nuclear energy technology has the potential to facilitate deep decarbonisation. Presentations and discussions from a recent conference explored barriers and pathways to realisation of this potential. The areas addressed included economics, government support, equity, regulatory clarity, supply chain security, and appeal to environmental, social, governance (ESG) investors, as briefly summarised herein.

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The transition to low-carbon energy production, transportation and technologies is key to mitigating climate change impacts and risks on a warming planet. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has repeatedly warned of the need for urgent action on climate, including in its 2022 climate report presenting near-, medium- and long-term risks for dangerous global warming pathways that overshoot 1.5°C for multiple decades.

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