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Guiding Global Energy Governance Back on Track Through Global Governance Initiatives

Jan 19-2026   



*This article is based on remarks by Zhou Yongmei, Professor of Practice in Institutional Development of ISSCAD & NSD.

Global energy governance is currently undergoing profound adjustments, with the original goal of balancing energy security, development, equity and sustainability now disrupted by multiple factors. Historically, efforts to govern global energy centered on securing energy supplies, enhancing accessibility, and promoting the reduction of emissions and the development of clean energy through multilateral platforms, while striving to accommodate nations at varying stages of development and to ensure fairness. However, the current situation has deviated from this course.


Consider the United States first. During the Trump administration, the US effectively relinquished its leadership role in global climate governance, signalling to the world that climate commitments could be overturned according to domestic political cycles. While Europe’s situation differs from America’s, it has also caused a shift in the centre of gravity for global energy governance. Following the Ukraine crisis, energy security rapidly became Europe’s primary policy consideration. Securing supplies, controlling prices, and maintaining industrial competitiveness have become paramount. Meanwhile, the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence is reshaping energy demand structures, but this has not yet been adequately incorporated into discussions on global energy governance.


Against this backdrop, China’s 2025 global governance initiative provides a vital framework for redefining the direction of global energy governance.


The most significant aspect of applying this initiative to the energy sector is the re-establishment of energy accessibility as a core issue of global governance. The World Bank’s “Lighting Africa” initiative, which aims to connect 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030, reflects the international community’s renewed emphasis on energy accessibility.


China has clear strengths in energy infrastructure development, clean energy manufacturing and system integration, while the World Bank has extensive expertise in institutional development, policy dialogue and risk-sharing mechanisms. By collaborating on concrete objectives such as “Lighting Africa”, the two parties can enhance project efficiency and advance the institutionalisation and fairness of global energy governance from a development rights perspective. Furthermore, China's economies of scale in clean energy manufacturing and power system construction provide practical tools for implementing global governance initiatives.


The global governance initiative also provides a practical basis for “differentiated transition”. For a long time, the principle of differentiation in climate negotiations has lacked genuine implementation at the energy system level. Respecting the right of countries to independently determine their energy transition pathways means acknowledging the practical need for baseload power and transitional energy sources at different stages of development. It also means confronting the fiscal and industrial risks faced by resource-based economies during the transition process.


China's experience of rapidly developing new energy sources while maintaining a high proportion of high-carbon energy provides a practical example of how such a transition can be achieved gradually and manageably. At the same time, China can offer technical support and policy recommendations on energy development planning and transition roadmaps to the least developed countries, helping them to formulate feasible development plans.


Similarly, the global governance initiative can promote a more inclusive understanding of energy security. For many developing nations, energy security primarily involves fiscal stability and protection from volatile price fluctuations. It also requires predictable energy planning environments and development trajectories that are not interrupted by frequent external shocks.


Within this framework, China can play a positive role by shifting from project-based cooperation to institutional and capacity-building initiatives. This would involve providing stable energy supply partnerships, sharing policy experiences, investing in infrastructure and offering long-term technical support to help developing countries achieve sustainable and predictable energy security.


At a time when the United States is scaling back its involvement, Europe is becoming more insular, and technological transformation is reshaping energy demand structures, there is an urgent need for a recalibration of direction in global energy governance. If China were to promote energy accessibility, equity, sustainability and security as an indivisible whole within the framework of its global governance initiatives, it would amplify the voice of the Global South and re-establish the institutional and value foundations for future-oriented global energy governance.

 


Guiding Global Energy Governance Back on Track Through Global Governance Initiatives

Jan 19-2026   



*This article is based on remarks by Zhou Yongmei, Professor of Practice in Institutional Development of ISSCAD & NSD.

Global energy governance is currently undergoing profound adjustments, with the original goal of balancing energy security, development, equity and sustainability now disrupted by multiple factors. Historically, efforts to govern global energy centered on securing energy supplies, enhancing accessibility, and promoting the reduction of emissions and the development of clean energy through multilateral platforms, while striving to accommodate nations at varying stages of development and to ensure fairness. However, the current situation has deviated from this course.


Consider the United States first. During the Trump administration, the US effectively relinquished its leadership role in global climate governance, signalling to the world that climate commitments could be overturned according to domestic political cycles. While Europe’s situation differs from America’s, it has also caused a shift in the centre of gravity for global energy governance. Following the Ukraine crisis, energy security rapidly became Europe’s primary policy consideration. Securing supplies, controlling prices, and maintaining industrial competitiveness have become paramount. Meanwhile, the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence is reshaping energy demand structures, but this has not yet been adequately incorporated into discussions on global energy governance.


Against this backdrop, China’s 2025 global governance initiative provides a vital framework for redefining the direction of global energy governance.


The most significant aspect of applying this initiative to the energy sector is the re-establishment of energy accessibility as a core issue of global governance. The World Bank’s “Lighting Africa” initiative, which aims to connect 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030, reflects the international community’s renewed emphasis on energy accessibility.


China has clear strengths in energy infrastructure development, clean energy manufacturing and system integration, while the World Bank has extensive expertise in institutional development, policy dialogue and risk-sharing mechanisms. By collaborating on concrete objectives such as “Lighting Africa”, the two parties can enhance project efficiency and advance the institutionalisation and fairness of global energy governance from a development rights perspective. Furthermore, China's economies of scale in clean energy manufacturing and power system construction provide practical tools for implementing global governance initiatives.


The global governance initiative also provides a practical basis for “differentiated transition”. For a long time, the principle of differentiation in climate negotiations has lacked genuine implementation at the energy system level. Respecting the right of countries to independently determine their energy transition pathways means acknowledging the practical need for baseload power and transitional energy sources at different stages of development. It also means confronting the fiscal and industrial risks faced by resource-based economies during the transition process.


China's experience of rapidly developing new energy sources while maintaining a high proportion of high-carbon energy provides a practical example of how such a transition can be achieved gradually and manageably. At the same time, China can offer technical support and policy recommendations on energy development planning and transition roadmaps to the least developed countries, helping them to formulate feasible development plans.


Similarly, the global governance initiative can promote a more inclusive understanding of energy security. For many developing nations, energy security primarily involves fiscal stability and protection from volatile price fluctuations. It also requires predictable energy planning environments and development trajectories that are not interrupted by frequent external shocks.


Within this framework, China can play a positive role by shifting from project-based cooperation to institutional and capacity-building initiatives. This would involve providing stable energy supply partnerships, sharing policy experiences, investing in infrastructure and offering long-term technical support to help developing countries achieve sustainable and predictable energy security.


At a time when the United States is scaling back its involvement, Europe is becoming more insular, and technological transformation is reshaping energy demand structures, there is an urgent need for a recalibration of direction in global energy governance. If China were to promote energy accessibility, equity, sustainability and security as an indivisible whole within the framework of its global governance initiatives, it would amplify the voice of the Global South and re-establish the institutional and value foundations for future-oriented global energy governance.