Table Of ContentGlobal Governance on Renewable Energy
Sybille Roehrkasten
Global Governance
on Renewable Energy
Contrasting the Ideas of the German
and the Brazilian Governments
With a foreword by Prof. Dr. Miranda Schreurs
Sybille Roehrkasten
Potsdam, Germany
Dissertation Freie Universität Berlin, Germany, 2014
ISBN 978-3-658-10479-5 ISBN 978-3-658-10480-1 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-3-658-10480-1
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Foreword
This book makes an important contribution to our understanding of the links be-
tween global renewable energy governance and national energy politics. It compares
the positions of two leaders in the field—Germany and Brazil. Germany has em-
barked on an Energiewende, a deep structural transformation of the country’s energy
system away from nuclear energy and fossil fuels and towards greater energy effi-
ciency and renewable energy. Renewable energy accounts for an increasingly large
share of its electricity consumption. Brazil is a leading producer and consumer of
ethanol and has one of the worldwide highest shares of renewables in its energy
mix. Brazil has also played a critical role in sustainability and renewable intiatives at
the global level, hosting the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and
Development and the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Develop-
ment.
There are many similarities between the two countries. Both are keen to
promote renewable energy internationally. Both are leaders in the domestic deploy-
ment of renewable energy. Both are taking an active stance in global renewable
energy governance.
And yet, despite their common interests, Brazil and Germany have very dif-
ferent ideas about what kind of global governance is needed. Germany’s focus has
been on institution building as can be seen with its initiative in creating the Interna-
tional Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). In setting up IRENA, the German
government prioritized the development and diffusion of new renewable energies
(primarily, wind and solar energy). It has, however, been hesitant about strongly
promoting biofuels internationally, siting concerns about their environmental im-
pact and consequences for food security. Brazil has been critical of Germany’s
position on biofuels. It has chosen not to join IRENA. Facilitating international
trade on biofuels has been the major goal of its ethanol diplomacy.
North-South tensions that frequently surface in global negotiations on sus-
tainable development are clearly evident in the diverging German and Brazilian
positions on renewable energy. Whereas Brazil in supporting biofuels emphasizes
the right to development and the needs of poorer communities, Germany in critiqu-
ing biofuels prioritizes environmental protection and raises concerns about food
security, especially for less well off populations. The two countries concentrate on
different economic sectors with their renewable energy strategies: agriculture and
transport in the case of Brazil and the electricity sector in the case of Germany.
5
While Germany criticises discriminatory energy policies, Brazil points at discrimina-
tory trade policies. Brazil is more focused on removing international trade barriers
to biofuels, Germany on improving regulatory conditions for renewables. Whereas
the German government supports global governance bodies emphasizing new re-
newable energies, the Brazilian government supports those bodies that are most
likely to be favorable to biofuels.
This book is a fascinating read and significantly advances our understanding
of the ways in which domestic political interests and concerns can shape positions
towards global governance institutions.
Prof. Dr. Miranda Schreurs
6
Preface and Acknowledgement
This publication presents the results of my PhD research which started in 2010 and
concluded with the submission and defense of my thesis in the course of 2014. The
support of many people was crucial to the completion of this long journey. First of
all, I would like to thank my supervisors at the Freie Universität Berlin, Professor
Guenther Maihold and Professor Miranda Schreurs, for their critical comments,
intellectual rigor and the freedom to develop this PhD project according to my own
ideas.
The German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) was the
intellectual home of my PhD years. It provided an inspiring and supportive envi-
ronment as well as close interactions with researchers and decision-makers alike. I
would like to extend very special thanks to my SWP mentor Kirsten Westphal. With
her expertise on global energy governance, she was a major source of inspiration for
my PhD research. Joint projects – be it for academic purposes or policy advice –
also gave me the opportunity to grow professionally. I would also like to express my
gratitude to Claudia Zilla, who involved me in policy advice early on, supported my
research and was always an inspiring discussion partner, not only on Brazilian mat-
ters. Thanks to Susanne Dröge, I had the freedom to pursue my PhD research and
involve myself in many interesting SWP projects. Sabine Herrmann was a great
source of moral support.
My research benefited considerably from the constructive PhD colloquia at
SWP and the Environmental Policy Research Center at the Freie Universität Berlin.
The International Futures Program of the Federal Foreign Office allowed for a very
fruitful exchange of ideas with young professionals from different emerging coun-
tries on a range of global issues. I am particularly grateful to a number of colleagues,
whose detailed and constructive feedback was of tremendous value to the success
of this PhD project: Leonie Beining, Marianne Beisheim, Oliver Geden, Roberto
Guimarães, Peer Krumrey, Johannes Plagemann, Henriette Rytz, Ursula Stiegler,
Sonja Thielges, Kathrin Ulmer, Florian Wassenberg, and Clara Weinhardt. In addi-
tion, I would like to thank Isabel Faulhaber for sharing her quantitative expertise,
Sandra Boyd for reliable and quick proofreading, and Inder Kumar Popat and the
SWP library staff for all their support.
I am very thankful to the host institutions of my research stay in Brazil: the
Brazilian Center for International Relations (CEBRI) in Rio de Janeiro and the
Division for International Studies, Political and Economic Relations at the Institute
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for Applied Economic Research (IPEA-Dinte) in Brasília. They not only provided a
working space, but also served as a door-opener and source of intellectual inspira-
tion. Special thanks go to Selena Herrera and Guilherme Schmitz, who considerably
enriched my research stay in Brazil. For the analysis of the German and the Brazili-
an ideas on global renewable energy governance, the insights of 75 interviews were
of utmost importance. I would like to thank all my interview partners in Brazil and
Germany for sharing their time and thoughts, making this PhD project a truly in-
spiring journey.
Last but not least, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my friends
and family, whose backing of all kinds was not only central for the completion of
this thesis, but is my backbone in the ups and downs of life. Of this group of peo-
ple, I would like to single out my uncle Michael Bunte, my parents Sabine and
Burkhard Röhrkasten and my sisters Regine Sprenger and Miriam Röhrkasten, who
– as always – deserve my deepest thanks. A special ‘thank you’ also goes to Alex
Farid for his moral support and patience during the last stages of this journey – and
for helping me getting my priorities right in life.
Sybille Röhrkasten
8
Contents
List of Tables ........................................................................................................................................................ 13
List of Figures ....................................................................................................................................................... 13
List of Abbreviations ........................................................................................................................................... 15
1 Introduction................................................................................................................................ 19
1.1 Research Purpose and Questions ....................................................................................................... 21
1.2 State of the Art ..................................................................................................................................... 24
1.3 Theoretical-Analytical Framework ..................................................................................................... 27
1.4 Methodological Approach ................................................................................................................... 29
1.5 Outline ................................................................................................................................................... 31
2 Theoretical-Analytical Framework: Contested Ideas in Global Governance .......................... 33
2.1 Global Governance As a Perspective on Transboundary Policy-Making ...................................... 33
2.1.1 Contextualizing Global Governance Research ..................................................................... 35
2.1.2 Blurring the Boundaries between Domestic and Global Affairs ........................................ 37
2.1.3 Governments: Central, but not the Only Actors .................................................................. 38
2.1.4 Value Added of Transboundary Cooperation ....................................................................... 40
2.1.5 Transboundary Policy-Making in the Absence of a Supreme Authority ........................... 42
2.2 Integrating Contested Ideas into Global Governance Research ..................................................... 42
2.2.1 The Role of Ideas in Global Governance .............................................................................. 43
2.2.2 Contestation and Power in Global Governance ................................................................... 46
2.2.3 Global Governors .................................................................................................................... 49
2.2.4 Global Governance as a Concept of the OECD World? .................................................... 51
2.3 Actor-Centered Framework for the Analysis of Global Governance Ideas .................................. 55
2.3.1 Policy Actors as Drafters and Carriers of Ideas .................................................................... 55
2.3.2 Weak Cognitivism and its Basic Behavioral Assumptions ................................................... 56
2.3.3 Ideas as Causes and Results of Political Action .................................................................... 59
2.3.4 Ideas on Global Renewable Energy Governance: Contents and Reasons Behind ........... 61
2.4 Methodology ......................................................................................................................................... 63
2.4.1 Interpretative Research Design ............................................................................................... 63
2.4.2 Comparative Case Study Analysis ........................................................................................... 66
2.4.3 Sources ....................................................................................................................................... 68
3 Global Governance on Renewable Energy ............................................................................... 73
3.1 Tracing the Origins and Evolution..................................................................................................... 74
3.1.1 The Origins of Global Energy Governance .......................................................................... 74
3.1.2 Initial Attempts to Promote Renewable Energy ................................................................... 79
3.1.3 Transboundary Policy-Making on Renewables Taking Shape ............................................ 82
3.2 Global Challenges Addressed by Renewable Energy Promotion ................................................... 89
3.2.1 Energy Security ......................................................................................................................... 90
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3.2.2 Access to Energy ...................................................................................................................... 93
3.2.3 Environmental Sustainability .................................................................................................. 94
3.2.4 Trade-Offs Involved ................................................................................................................ 96
3.3 Structural Characteristics ..................................................................................................................... 98
3.3.1 Dominance of National Policy-Making ................................................................................. 98
3.3.2 Fragmentation ......................................................................................................................... 100
3.4 Global Governors and their Governance Activities ...................................................................... 104
3.4.1 IRENA .................................................................................................................................... 104
3.4.2 IEA ........................................................................................................................................... 106
3.4.3 REEEP .................................................................................................................................... 108
3.4.4 REN21 ..................................................................................................................................... 109
3.4.5 GBEP....................................................................................................................................... 111
3.4.6 CEM ......................................................................................................................................... 112
3.4.7 UN Bodies and Agencies ....................................................................................................... 113
3.4.8 G8 and G20............................................................................................................................. 114
3.5 A Snapshot at Contestation and Social Construction .................................................................... 115
4 German Ideas on Global Renewable Energy Governance ..................................................... 117
4.1 Tracing the Government’s Action on Global Renewable Energy Governance ......................... 118
4.1.1 The Renewables 2004 Conference and the Establishment of REN21 ............................ 118
4.1.2 Founding IRENA ................................................................................................................... 126
4.1.3 Launch of the Renewables Club ........................................................................................... 137
4.2 Ideas on Global Renewable Energy Governance ........................................................................... 139
4.2.1 Global Challenges: Predominance of Climate Protection ................................................. 139
4.2.2 Renewable Energy Options: Sustainability and Electricity Markets ................................. 144
4.2.3 Barriers: Markets and Policies Favoring Conventional Energy ......................................... 149
4.2.4 Tasks: Improving Domestic Regulatory Frameworks ........................................................ 152
4.2.5 Global Governors: Providing Information and Advice on Renewable Energy .............. 156
4.2.6 Salient Features: the Responsibility of Industrialized Countries to Lead ......................... 165
4.3 The German Government’s Action and Ideas at a Glance ........................................................... 168
5 Brazilian Ideas on Global Renewable Energy Governance ................................................... 171
5.1 Tracing the Government’s Action on Global Renewable Energy Governance ......................... 172
5.1.1 Initial Steps: WSSD 2002 and the Renewables 2004 Conference ..................................... 172
5.1.2 Ethanol Diplomacy Begins: Time of Expansion ................................................................ 174
5.1.3 Intensification of Ethanol Diplomacy in the Light of Growing International Criticism182
5.1.4 Continuation of Ethanol Diplomacy at a Lower Political Profile ..................................... 188
5.2 Ideas on Global Renewable Energy Governance ........................................................................... 192
5.2.1 Global Challenges: Predominance of Socio-Economic Development ............................ 192
5.2.2 Renewable Energy Options: Biofuels and Competitiveness ............................................. 199
5.2.3 Barriers: Prejudices and Trade Restrictions ......................................................................... 201
5.2.4 Tasks: Creating an International Biofuels Market............................................................... 206
5.2.5 Global Governors: Focusing on Biofuels and Trade Issues .............................................. 210
5.2.6 Salient Features: North-South Conflicts, Power Asymmetries and Re-Balancing .......... 218
5.3 The Brazilian Government’s Action and Ideas at a Glance .......................................................... 222
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