Commenced in January 2007
Frequency: Monthly
Edition: International
Paper Count: 32759
Does the Polysemic Nature of Energy Security Make it a 'Wicked' Problem?

Authors: Lynne Chester

Abstract:

Governments around the world are expending considerable time and resources framing strategies and policies to deliver energy security. The term 'energy security' has quietly slipped into the energy lexicon without any meaningful discourse about its meaning or assumptions. An examination of explicit and inferred definitions finds that the concept is inherently slippery because it is polysemic in nature having multiple dimensions and taking on different specificities depending on the country (or continent), timeframe or energy source to which it is applied. But what does this mean for policymakers? Can traditional policy approaches be used to address the problem of energy security or does its- polysemic qualities mean that it should be treated as a 'wicked' problem? To answer this question, the paper assesses energy security against nine commonly cited characteristics of wicked policy problems and finds strong evidence of 'wickedness'.

Keywords: Energy security, policy making, wicked problems.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI): doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1070171

Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 1466

References:


[1] United Nations Development Program (2000), World energy assessment: energy and the challenge of sustainability, New York: UNDP.
[2] Chester, L. (2007), What are the outcomes and who benefits from the restructuring of the Australian electricity sector? Unpublished PhD thesis, University of New South Wales, Available at: http://www.library.unsw.edu.au/~thesis/adt-NUN/public/adt- NUN20071017.113919/
[3] Yergin, D. (2005), ÔÇÿEnergy security and markets-, in Kalicki, J.H. and Goldwyn, D. L. (eds), Energy and security: Toward a new foreign policy strategy, Washington: Woodrow Wilson Press, pp. 51-64.
[4] International Energy Agency (2008), World energy outlook 2008, Paris: OECD/IEA.
[5] Kalicki, J.H. and Goldwyn, D. L. (eds) (2005), Energy and security: Toward a new foreign policy strategy, Washington: Woodrow Wilson Press.
[6] M├╝ller-Kraenner, S. (2008), Energy security: Re-measuring the world, London: Earthscan.
[7] United Nations Development Program (2004), World energy assessment: overview 2004 update, New York: UNDP.
[8] Wesley, M. (ed) (2007), Energy security in Asia, London: Routledge.
[9] Van Doren, P. (2006), ÔÇÿEnergy & security: Toward a new foreign policy strategy, by Jan H. Kalicki and David L. Goldwyn eds - Book review-, The Energy Journal, 27(2): 182-87.
[10] Chang, Y. and Liang Lee, J. (2008), ÔÇÿElectricity market deregulation and energy security: a study of the UK and Singapore electricity markets-, International Journal of Global Energy Issues, 29(1/2): 109-32.
[11] Bohi, D.R. and Toman, M.A. (1993), ÔÇÿEnergy security: externalities and policies-, Energy Policy, Vol.21, No.11, pp.1093-109.
[12] Bohi, D.R. and Toman, M.A. (1996), The Economics of energy security, Boston: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
[13] International Energy Agency (1985), Energy technology policy, Paris: OECD/IEA.
[14] International Energy Agency (1995), The IEA natural gas security study, Paris: OECD/IEA.
[15] International Energy Agency (2007), Energy security and climate policy: Assessing interactions, Paris: OECD/IEA.
[16] Stern, J. (2007), European gas security: what does it mean and what are the most important issues, Presentation to CESSA Conference, 14 December, Cambridge, Retrieved 6 July 2008 from http://www.energypolicyblog.com/?p=110
[17] Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform (2007a), Energy markets outlook, October, London: Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform.
[18] Department of Trade and Industry (2006), The energy challenge: Energy review report 2006, July, London: Department of Trade and Industry.
[19] Department of Trade and Industry (2007), Meeting the energy challenge: A white paper on energy, May, London: Department of Trade and Industry.
[20] Bielecki, J. (2002). 'Energy security: is the wolf at the door?', The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Vol.42, pp.235-50.
[21] Scheepers, M., Seebregts, A., de Jong, J. and Maters, H. (2006), EU standards for energy security of supply, ECN-C-06-039/CIEP, June, The Hague: ECN Clingendael International Energy Programme.
[22] Noël, P. (2008), Is energy security a political, military or market problem?, An online Q & A in The Financial Times, 10 January, Retrieved on 16 August 2008 from http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/fd6ef84abf85- 11dc-8052-0000779fd2ac.html
[23] Stern, J. (2002), Security of European natural gas supplies: the impact of import dependence and liberalization, Chatham House Report, July, Retrieved 2 July 2008 from http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/publications/papers/view/-/id/58/
[24] Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform (2007b), Expected energy unserved: a quantitative measure of security of supply, URN 07/1522, Contribution to the Energy Markets Outlook Report, October, London: Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform.
[25] Tönjes, C. and de Jong, J.J. (2007), Perspectives on security of supply in European natural gas markets, Working Paper, August, The Hague: Clingendael International Energy Program.
[26] Scheepers, M., Seebregts, A., de Jong, J. and Maters, H. (2007), EU standards for energy security of supply; Updates on the crisis capability index and the supply/demand index quantification for EU-27,, ECN-C- 06-039/CIEP, April, The Hague: ECN Clingendael International Energy Programme.
[27] Neumann, A. (2007), How to measure security of supply?, Posted 9 September, Retrieved 29 June 2008 from http://www.energypolicyblog.com/?p=55.
[28] European Commission (2000), Green paper: Towards a European strategy for the security of energy supply, Commission of the European Communities, COM/2000/0769 Final, Brussels, Retrieved 12 August 2008 from http://europa.eu/scadplus/leg/en/lvb/l27037.htm.
[29] European Parliament (2001), Report on the Commission Green Paper Towards a European strategy for the security of energy supply (COM (2000) 769 - C5-0145/2001 - 2001/2071(COS)), Committee on Industry, External Trade, Research and Energy, 17 October, Rapporteur: Giles Chichester, Retrieved 13 October 2008, from http://www.europarl.europa.eu/activities/plenary/reports/sidesSearch.do#
[30] Asia Pacific Energy Research Centre (2007), A quest for energy security in the 21st century: resources and constraints, Tokyo: APEC.
[31] European Commission (2006), Green paper: A European strategy for sustainable, competitive and secure energy, COM(2006) 105 Final, Brussels, 8 March, Retrieved 12 August 2008 from http://europa.eu/scadplus/leg/en/lvb/l27062.htm
[32] European Commission (2007), Communication from the Commission to the European Council and the European Parliament: An energy policy for Europe, COM (2007) 1 Final, Brussels, 10 January, Retrieved 12 August 2008 from http://europa.eu/scadplus/leg/en/lvb/l27067.htm
[33] Egenhofer, C. and Legge, T. (2001), Security of energy supply: A question for policy or the markets?, Report of a CEPS Working Party, November, Brussels: Centre for European Policy Studies.
[34] Youngs, R. (2007), Europe-s external energy policy: Between geopolitics and the market, CEPS Working Document No.278/November, Brussels: Centre for European Policy Studies, Retrieved on 14 April 2008 from http://shop.ceps.eu/BookDetail.php?item_id=1560
[35] Egenhofer, C., Gialoglu, K., Luciani., G., Boots, M., Scheepers, M., Costantini, V., Gracceva, F., Markandya, A., and Vicini, G. (2004), Market-based options for security of energy supply, INDES Working Paper No.1 March, Retrieved 30 May 2008 from http://shop.ceps.eu/BookDetail.php?item_id=1114.
[36] Chang, H-J. (2007), ÔÇÿInstitutional change and economic development: An introduction-, in Chang, H-J (ed), Institutional change and economic development, New York: United Nations University Press, pp.1-14.
[37] Coriat, B. and Weinstein, O. (2005), ÔÇÿThe social construction of markets-, Issues in Regulation Theory, No.53, September.
[38] Blaug, M. (2002), ÔÇÿUgly currents in economics-, in M├ñki, U. (ed), Fact and fiction in economics: Models, realism, and social construction, Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, pp.35-56.
[39] Behrens, A. and Egenhofer, C. (2008), Energy policy for Europe: Identifying the European added-value, CEPS Task Force Report, 6 March, Brussels: Centre for European Policy Studies, Retrieved 26 April 2008 from http://shop.ceps.eu/BookDetail.php?item_id=1623
[40] Goodin, R.E., Rein, M., Moran, M. (2006), ÔÇÿThe public and its policies-, in Moran, M., Rein, M. and Goodin, R.E. (eds), The Oxford handbook of public policy, Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 3-35.
[41] Australian Public Service Commission (2007), Tackling wicked problems: A public policy perspective, Australian Government, Canberra: Australian Public Service Commission.
[42] Rittel, H.W.J., and Webber, M. M. (1973), ÔÇÿDilemmas in a general theory of planning-, Policy Sciences, Vol. 4, No. 2, June, pp.155-69.
[43] Clark, M. And Stewart, J. (1997), Handling the wicked issues - A challenge for government-, Discussion paper, School of Public Policy, University of Birmingham
[44] Conkin, J. (2006), Dialogue mapping: Building shared understanding of wicked problems, Chichester, West Sussex: John Wiley & Sons.
[45] Coyne, R. (2005), ÔÇÿWicked problems revisited-, Design Studies, January, 26(1): 5-17.
[46] Paquet, G. (1989), ÔÇÿA social learning framework for a wicked problem: The case of energy-, Energy Studies Review, 1(1): 55-69.
[47] Roberts, N. (2000), Coping with wicked problems, Paper presented to the Third Bi-Annual Research Conference of the International Public Management Network, Sydney, Australia, 4-6 March.
[48] Van Bueren, E.M., Klijn, E-H. And Koppenjan, J.F.M. (2003), ÔÇÿDealing with wicked problems in networks: Analyzing an environmental debate from a network perspective, Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 13(2): 193-212.
[49] Whelton, M. And Ballard, G. (2001), ÔÇÿProject definition and wicked problems-, Proceedings of the International Group for Lean Construction 10th Annual Conference, August, Brazil: 375-87.
[50] Thompson, M. And Verweij, M. (2004), The case for clumsiness, Singapore Management University, Humanities and Social Sciences Working Paper Series, No.5-2004.
[51] Chester, L. (2006), ÔÇÿThe conundrums facing Australia-s national electricity market-, Economic Papers, Vol.25, No.4, December, pp. 362- 77.
[52] Chester, L. (2008), ÔÇÿThe parlous investment environment for Australian electricity generation and transmission-, IAEE Energy Forum, Second quarter, pp. 29-35.
[53] International Energy Agency (2003), Power generation investment in electricity markets, Paris: OECD/IEA.
[54] Showalter, M. (2007), Electricity price trends in deregulated vs regulated states, Olympia: Power in the Public Interest, November.
[55] Thomas, S. (2006), Recent evidence on the impact of electricity liberalisation on consumer prices, January, London: Public Services International Research Unit, University of Greenwich.
[56] Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform (2001), The UK fuel poverty strategy, November, London: Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform.
[57] Australian Government (2008), Australia-s low pollution future: The economics of climate change mitigation, Canberra: Treasury.
[58] Greenpeace International (2007), The economics of nuclear power, June, Amsterdam: Greenpeace International.
[59] Thomas, S. (2008), Can nuclear power plants be built in Britain without public subsidies and guarantees?, March, London: Public Services International Research Unit, University of Greenwich.
[60] Thomas, S. (2002), Regulation in a deregulated energy market: British experience, September, London: Public Services International Research Unit, University of Greenwich.
[61] Lindblom, C.E. (1959), ÔÇÿThe science of "muddling through"-, Public Administration Review, 19(2): 79-88.
[62] Weinstein, S. and Hall, D., (2001), The California electricity crisis - overview and international lessons, February, London: Public Services International Research Unit, University of Greenwich.
[63] Food and Agricultural Organisation (1996), Rome declaration on world food security, Rome: World Food Summit 13-17 November 1996, Available at: http://www.fao.org/wfs/index_en.htm.
[64] Food and Agricultural Organisation (2003), Trade reforms and food security: Conceptualizing the linkages, Rome: FAO of the United Nations.
[65] Maxwell, S. (1996), ÔÇÿFood security: a post-modern perspective-, Food Policy, 21(2): 155-70.
[66] Maxwell, S. and Frankenberger, T.R. (1992), Household food security: Concepts, indicators, measurements - A technical review, New York: UNICEF and International Fund for Agricultural Development.
[67] Global Education (2009), Food security, Retrieved 14 February 2009 from http://www.globaleducation.edna.edu.au/globaled/go/cache/offonce/pid/ 177.
[68] European Commission (1996), Directive 96/92/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 December 1996 concerning common rules for the internal market in electricity, Official Journal L027 pp.0020-0029, Brussels: European Commission.
[69] European Commission (2003b), Directive 2003/54/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 June 2003 concerning common rules for the internal market in electricity and repealing Directive 96/92/EC - Statements made with regard to decommissioning and waste management activities, Official Journal L176 15 July 2003 pp. 0037- 0056, Brussels: European Commission.
[70] European Commission (2003d), Proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning measures to safeguard security of electricity supply and infrastructure investment {SEC(2003) 1368}, Communication from the Commission, Brussels: European Commission.
[71] European Commission (2004b), The unbundling regime: Notes for the implementation of the Electricity Directive 2003/54/EC, 16 January, Brussels: Directorate General for Energy and Transport.
[72] European Commission (2004c), Measures to secure electricity supply: Notes on the implementation of the Electricity Directive 2003/54/EC, 16 January, Brussels: Directorate General on Energy and Transport.
[73] European Commission (2004d), Proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning measures to safeguard security of electricity supply and infrastructure investment - general approach (agreed 29 November), Report to Council, 18 November, Brussels: European Commission.
[74] European Commission (2003c), 2003/796/EC: Commission decision of 11 November 2003 on establishing the European Regulators Group for Electricity and Gas, Official Journal L296 14 November 2003 pp.0034- 0035, Brussels: European Commission.
[75] European Commission (2004a), The role of the regulatory authorities: Notes for the implementation of the Electricity Directive 2003/54/EC, 16 January, Brussels: Directorate General for Energy and Transport.
[76] European Commission (2001), First benchmarking report on the implementation of the internal electricity and gas market, Commission Staff Working Paper, 3 December, Brussels: European Commission.
[77] European Commission (2003a), Second benchmarking report on the implementation of the internal electricity and gas market, Commission Staff Working Paper, 7 April, Brussels: European Commission.
[78] European Commission (2004e), Third benchmarking report on the implementation of the internal gas and electricity market, Commission Draft Staff Working Paper, 1 March, Brussels: European Commission.
[79] European Commission (2005), Annual report on the implementation of the gas and electricity internal market, Communication from the Commission, 5 January, Brussels: European Commission.
[80] European Commission (2008), Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, The European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions: Second strategic energy review - An EU energy security and solidarity action plan, COM(2008) 781 Final, 13 November, Brussels: European Commission.
[81] Vedung, E. (2003), ÔÇÿPolicy instruments: Typologies and theories-, in Bemelmans-Videc, M-L., Rist, R.C. and Vedung, E. (eds), Carrots, sticks and sermons: Policy instruments and their evaluation, New Brunswick: Transaction Publishers.
[82] Hood, C. and Margetts, H. (2007), The tools of government in the digital age, Houndmills, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.