Call for Submissions to the Sciences Po Energy Review – Issue No. 3

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Founding Statement

The Sciences Po Energy Review is a publication to advance dialogue about energy. Motivated by the pressing global need for energy transitions, the journal primarily employs a social scientific approach without being constrained by any single discipline. We propose a series of edited issues to feature graduate student writing, highlight and develop contributors by placing them in conversation with peers and experts, and strengthen existing debates and research about energy at Sciences Po and beyond. The publication employs varied and thought-provoking formats to achieve a holistic synthesis of developments and issues in the sphere of energy. The Sciences Po Energy Review operates under the auspices of the European Chair for Sustainable Development and Climate Transition. The diverse nature of our contributors is reflected in our audience.

With a readership ranging from academia to international organizations and private sector firms, selected authors have the opportunity to gain feedback and visibility from experts. This issue is a special edition, produced in collaboration with the Climate Adaptation, Resilience and Empowerment (CARE) Program. This program’s objective of shaping a new generation of climate-conscious global leaders is facilitated through a strategic partnership between Sciences Po’s Paris School of International Affairs, the University of Toronto, the University of British Columbia, and the University of Guelph.

Issue No. 3: Transatlantic Energy Transitions – Opportunities and Challenges for EU-Canada Collaboration

This issue invites critical essay contributions on EU-Canada collaboration and learning on the topic of energy transitions. Authors can freely choose whether to focus on provinces and specific EU member states or on high-level cooperation. We encourage a comparative lens and succinct, well backed arguments. Authors are welcome to base their contributions on the themes highlighted below or come up with other topics related to EU-Canada energy transitions. Further details about the process can be found below.

Technological Cooperation

Electrification has intensified demand for critical raw materials for PV systems, EV batteries, and wind turbines. However, production of these technologies, associated mineral extraction, and processing capabilities remain highly concentrated, creating supply chain vulnerabilities and energy security risks. Rising trade barriers further highlight the need for diversification to support decarbonisation objectives. The European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has described Canada as “a perfect match” for the EU’s efforts to diversify its critical raw materials supply chain thanks to its mineral richness (EC, 2023). What could make such a partnership attractive for Canada and what are the challenges? What hurdles prevent the EU from being an assertive partner to Canada? What countries could Canada and the EU jointly collaborate with?

Another potential avenue for cooperation is the recycling of critical raw materials from end-of-life clean technology. How can EU and Canada work together on end-of-life processes and practices to enhance recycling viability? What avenues for cooperation are there? The importance of hydrocarbon exports to Canada’s economy has made the country pivot towards hydrogen as a potential way to advance its decarbonisation agenda while leveraging its existing infrastructure for natural gas. The EU and Canada have already advanced ideas for hydrogen supply chain collaboration. To what extent could EU–Canada collaboration on hydrogen be a catalyst for the green transition in both regions?

Another promising area for cooperation is nuclear technology, which is projected to be critical not just for carbon free electricity generation but also for heat, desalination and industrial applications. Canada has expressed ambitions to become a leader in SMR technology through its Small Modular Reactor (SMR) Action Plan. The EU has also made strides in developing an SMR strategy. How do the strategies compare and what pathways for collaboration could strengthen efforts in these sectors?

Comparative Approach to Domestic Energy Transition Challenges

Beyond strategic technology cooperation, this special EU-Canada offers a critical opportunity to reflect on domestic energy transition challenges and the lessons that can be learned. Canada’s decentralised energy politics and unequally dispersed energy resources pose significant challenges in terms of equality and cohesion. We therefore invite explorations of how the transition can be accelerated to meet announced climate pledges while phasing out fossil fuels in a just and equitable manner.

How can fossil fuel phaseouts be achieved in a way that is both just and economically viable? Canada’s large fossil fuel industry raises legitimate concerns about job security in certain provinces. With good reason, as jobs in the green economy may not directly replace fossil fuel employment. What strategies are effective for ensuring a fair transition? What can we learn from examples like Germany’s rapid decline in coal employment over past decades?

Energy projects on indigenous lands must also ensure that communities are protected and get to share real benefits of the projects. For example, in Scandinavia, wind turbine deployment impacts traditional reindeer herding among the Sámi people. How can energy projects be inclusive so that real benefits reach communities?

We invite submissions that assess these issues and propose solutions for equitable and sustainable energy transitions.

Debate section

As major players in the global fossil fuel market, Canada as a leading exporter and the European Union as a major importer, both regions have committed to reducing methane emissions as part of their broader net-zero strategies (see Canada’s methane strategy and EU Methane Strategy). The EU and Canada are since 2023 Champions of the Global Methane Pledge (GMP) and have hosted a series of joint workshops to develop a shared roadmap for methane mitigation. With regulatory momentum emerging in the past years, with amendments made on Canada’s oil and gas methane regulations and the EU’s 2024 Methane Strategy, the question of setting legally binding methane intensity standards on oil and gas imports and exports is gaining urgency. Advocates argue that such a framework could align trade with climate ambition, create a level playing field, and provide international leadership in methane transparency and reduction.

However, the proposal remains polarizing. Critics argue that binding standards could impose disproportionate compliance burdens on producers, create trade friction, and exclude smaller firms or countries lacking the resources to monitor and report emissions with precision. In addition, recent geopolitical movements are significantly impacting the green ambitions of both actors and make the proposition unrealistic at best. Others question whether methane standards can be credibly enforced across diverse regulatory environments and infrastructure contexts. As the EU and Canada look to strengthen their energy and climate partnership, this debate asks:

• Should the EU and Canada adopt legally binding methane intensity standards for oil and gas exports and imports as a condition for continued transatlantic energy trade?

Submissions to the debate section should aim for a length of 1,500 – 1,750 words.

The critical essays section will collect submissions from those with professional, practical and/or academic experience relevant to the theme of the issue. Authors / co-authors may submit up to one critical essay per issue. Please note that this is a selective process and, as such, not every submission will be accepted. You will be notified of your acceptance or rejection according to the timeline below. Submissions are encouraged to be an opinion-style piece to reflect upon/raise awareness of your topic or a longer article that presents arguments in a more scholarly style. Authors are welcome to build on work they have created previously or with newly written arguments. They are also welcome to co-author pieces. The length is encouraged to be around 1,500-2,500 words. Please use Chicago footnote style citations: Author’s First Name Last Name, “Article Title”, Journal Title, Volume #, Issue # (Year): Page(s), DOI

Additional Details and Timeline

• We welcome submissions from graduate students, young professionals, and research scholars working in energy, geopolitics, and related fields.
• Applications to be published should follow the detailed guidance above.
• All submissions should be done through the Google form
• Submission deadline: Sunday, 6 July 2025

Editorial team

The current editorial board comprises students enrolled in the Paris School of International Affairs (PSIA at Sciences Po).

Editorial Board: Natalia Feinberg, Isha Hiremath, Madeleine Tron, and Clara Klint

Senior advisors

The academic rigour and intellectual integrity of the Sciences Po Energy Review is enhanced and guaranteed through the appointment of two senior advisors:

• Marc Ringel – Chairholder at the European Chair for Sustainable Development and Climate Transition at Sciences Po
• Céline Cantant – Climate Adaptation, Resilience, and Empowerment (CARE) Program Manager