Decarbonising EU-Turkey Energy Cooperation: Challenges and Prospects


Book Description

Abstract: Russia's attack on Ukraine has once again highlighted Europe's heavy dependence on Russian natural gas and thus, among other things, underlined the significance of energy cooperation between the European Union (EU) and Turkey. Traditionally, Turkish-European energy relations have prioritised the diversification of energy resources in the face of Europe's dependence on Russia. The new emerging political, geopolitical, and energy context will have repercussions on Turkish-European energy relation. However, it is the ambitious process of decarbonisation of the economy and energy launched by the EU that will decisively shape the nature and future of Turkey-EU energy relations. Indeed, both European and Turkish interests related to energy security, energy affordability, and climate change mitigation require EU-Turkey cooperation in the decarbonisation process, which is expected to be very challenging. Energy transition is the key to medium- and long-term energy security for both sides







Turkey and the EU in an Energy Security Society


Book Description

This book explores Turkey-EU relations in the context of natural gas. Utilising the English School theory and narrative policy analysis, the author examines EU narratives on Turkey’s role in European energy security in the sphere of natural gas, as well as narratives of Turkish actors on natural gas pipelines and the liberalisation of the natural gas market. The book discusses the extent to which the positions held by Turkish actors on natural gas and energy security constrain and/or enable its integration with the EU. Accordingly, it compares the narratives of the EU and Turkish actors to ascertain how references to the content and scope of the integration varied between January 2001 and July 2019. In the context of this book, "integration” does not necessarily mean Turkey’s full membership in the EU. Rather, it refers to different types of relations, which are classified as energy security societies.




A New Strategy for European Union-Turkey Energy Cooperation


Book Description

In a period of stress in the relationship between the European Union and Turkey, co-operation over energy could be a bright spot, because of strong mutual interests. However, EU-Turkey cooperation over energy requires a rethink. Up to now, gas and electricity have represented the main components of cooperation. Though highly visible, cooperation in these fields appears to be limited in practise. By contrast, cooperation in other fields - such as renewables, energy efficiency, nucle-ar energy and emissions trading - could make a real impact on long-term energy, climate and environmental sustainability, and on overall macroeconomic and geopolitical stability. On renewables and energy efficiency, the EU could support Turkey by scaling-up the financial support it currently provides within the framework of its climate finance commit-ments. This would reinforce the case for renewables and efficiency projects in Turkey, par-ticularly as the cost of capital continues to represent a major barrier for these investments. On nuclear energy, the EU can make a sensible contribution to the establishment of a nuclear energy sector in Turkey. This can notably be accomplished by integrating Turkey into the framework of Euratom. On carbon markets, the EU can offer institutional support to Turkey, as is already being done with other countries such as China. Refocusing bilateral cooperation on renewable energy, energy efficiency, nuclear energy and carbon markets would be more effective and strategic for both the EU and Turkey. For the EU, it would provide an opportunity to put its sustainable energy leadership aspira-tions into practice, while opening up new commercial opportunities. For Turkey, it would enhance both climate and environmental performance, while reducing the energy import bill and energy dependency on Russia. This change in priorities would also be important to head off Turkey's rush into coal. Turkey currently has the third largest coal power plant development programme in the world, after India and China.




Rethinking the EU-Turkey Energy Cooperation


Book Description

This article, presenting a wide range of issues related to the role of Turkey in the new Mediterranean, aims to provide a comprehensive framework of understanding of the growing strategic relevance of Turkey for both the European Union and the overall Euro-Mediterranean region. In particular, the article focuses on the EU-Turkey energy relations and outlines the crucial role of natural gas in enhancing energy cooperation between the two players. In 2010 about 80% of EU gas imports derived from only three suppliers: Russian Federation, Norway and Algeria. This heavy dependence on such a few suppliers stimulated the European Commission to make the concept of diversification a cornerstone of its energy policy and to launch the concept of the Southern Gas Corridor, an initiative aimed to develop a natural gas transit corridor from Caspian and Middle Eastern gas-rich regions to Europe, in order to ease the dependency on the natural gas imported from the Russian Federation. An initiative that could shift of the "center of gravity" of the regional gas transit from the north to the south of the Black Sea, allowing Turkey to become a key transit country in the future European gas market; a pivotal element in the European gas security of supply architecture. Furthermore, the article also considers the enormous renewable energy potential of Southern and Eastern Mediterranean Countries, to which Turkey could greatly contribute in terms of technology transfer and manufacturing know-how. Turkey's involvement in the Union for the Mediterranean offers a great opportunity for energy cooperation both between the EU and Turkey and within the overall Euro-Mediterranean region. Such large-scale renewable energy projects could greatly contribute to the economic development of the overall Mediterranean region, and also to its social and political stability.




The Role of Turkey in the European Energy Policy. Problems and Perspectives


Book Description

Research Paper (postgraduate) from the year 2016 in the subject Politics - Environmental Policy, grade: 1, Vytautas Magnus University (International Relations and Diplomacy), course: 2, language: English, abstract: Over the historical course, the EU’s growing demands for energy resources compel it to undertake significant steps regarding how to preserve energy security and procure the diversification of gas supplies from different countries for the future generation. It is an undeniable fact that the maintenance of energy security is one of the pivotal interests of Europe in the contemporary world. Currently, energy is significant to the process for both economic and social development in Europe. The diversification of energy supplies and even source countries was taken as the primary ambition by the EU. Over the historical periods, growing energy needs of the EU have put the strategic policies ahead toward other non-member states, especially resource-rich countries. In this part, Turkey and the EU relations in the energy field will be analyzed. Throughout the period, the relations between Turkey and the EU have undergone many ups and downs. Even today, the world is under the shadow of political turmoil, challenges, and crisis which have huge implications to Europe as well as other countries.




European Energy Security


Book Description

An exploration of Turkey's future role and impact on European energy security, looking at the connection between geopolitics, energy security and the EU's need for energy. The book focuses on Turkey's foreign and energy policies and importance as a natural funnel through which the EU can access hydrocarbons and renewables.




EU-Turkey Relations


Book Description

This open access book explores the new complexities and ambiguities that epitomize EU-Turkey relations. With a strong focus on the developments in the last decade, the book provides full access to a comprehensive understanding of the multifaceted relationship through three entry points: (1) Theories and Concepts, (2) Institutions, and (3) Policies. Part I brings together complementary and competing analytical approaches to study the evolution of EU-Turkey relations, ranging from traditional integration theories to novel concepts. Part II investigates the institutional machinery of EU-Turkey relations by analyzing the roles and perspectives of the European Council, the European Commission, and the European Parliament. Part III offers analyses of the policies most relevant for the relationship: enlargement policy, trade and macroeconomic policies, foreign and security policy, migration and asylum policies, and energy policy. In Part IV, the volume closes with a systematic survey of the conditions under which cooperative trends in EU-Turkey relations could be (re)invigorated. The systematic setup and the balanced combination of distinguished experts from EU- and Turkey-based institutions make this book a fundamental reading for students, researchers, lecturers, and practitioners of EU-Turkey relations, European integration and Turkish foreign policy. Wulf Reiners is Senior Researcher and Head of the Managing Global Governance (MGG) Program of the German Development Institute / Deutsches Institut fur Entwicklungspolitik (DIE). Ebru Turhan is Assistant Professor at the Department of Political Science and International Relations, Turkish-German University in Istanbul, Turkey.




The Southern Energy Corridor: Turkey's Role in European Energy Security


Book Description

This book highlights the importance of Turkey in diversifying supplies in future European energy security, focusing in particular on the rapidly emerging southern energy corridor. Turkey, by its location, occupies a key role in this corridor, fed by hydrocarbon supplies from Russian, Caspian, east Mediterranean and Arab sources. The book examines Turkey's role as a transit country (in addition to its own growing domestic energy market) and it utilizes the latest evidence on the geopolitics of various pipelines which convergence on Turkey. The evidence, including maps, strongly favor Turkey as an energy hub within a regional energy model driven by rational behavior and market forces. The book recommends an increasing strategic energy cooperation between the EU and Turkey to maximize mutual interest.




The Rise of Turkey and the New Mediterranean Challenges and Opportunities for Energy Cooperation in a Region in Transition


Book Description

This paper, presenting a wide range of issues related to the role of Turkey in the Mediterranean energy context, aims to provide a comprehensive framework of understanding of the growing strategic relevance of Turkey for both the European Union and the overall Euro-Mediterranean region. In particular, the paper focuses on the EU-Turkey energy relations and outlines the crucial role of natural gas in enhancing energy cooperation between the two players. In 2010 about 80% of EU gas imports derived from only three suppliers: Russian Federation, Norway and Algeria. This heavy dependence on such a few suppliers stimulated the European Commission to make the concept of diversification a cornerstone of its energy policy and to launch the concept of the Southern Gas Corridor, an initiative aimed to develop a natural gas transit corridor from Caspian and Middle Eastern gas-rich regions to Europe, in order to ease the dependency on the natural gas imported from the Russian Federation. An initiative that could shift the 'centre of gravity' of the regional gas transit from the north to the south of the Black Sea, allowing Turkey to become a key transit country in the future European gas market; a pivotal element in the European gas security of supply architecture. Furthermore, the paper also considers the enormous renewable energy potential of Southern and Eastern Mediterranean Countries, to which Turkey could greatly contribute in terms of technology transfer and manufacturing know-how. Turkey's involvement in the Union for the Mediterranean offers a great opportunity for energy cooperation both between the EU and Turkey and within the overall Euro-Mediterranean region. Such large-scale renewable energy projects could greatly contribute to the economic development of the overall Mediterranean region, and also to its social and political stability. Considering the lack of a wide and comprehensive EU-Turkey energy cooperation scheme, the paper proposes a series of policy priorities pointed to enhance this bilateral relationship and also the wider Euro-Mediterranean integration process.