Review of the geopolitics of the energy transition

Hindering global warming from rising above 1.5C will require reaching 80% zero-emissions energy by 2030 and 100% by 2050, and much of this should be achieved through the increased use of renewable energy. This, in turn, inspires a steadily growing literature on a range of questions concerning the geopolitical consequences of the transition to renewable energy. Will the world become more secure if renewable energy is adopted on a large scale? Can electricity transmission be used as a foreign policy instrument or weapon similar to how oil and gas resources have been used in the past? Will renewable energy leaders such as China, Denmark, Germany and the UK strengthen their positions in world affairs? How likely is a backlash from declining petrostates during the transition phase? Our article reviews, systematises and aggregates the existing research on the geopolitical consequences of the transition to renewable energy. The full open access article can be freely downloaded here https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032119307555