In this latest OIES podcast James Henderson talks to Mike Fulwood, Jack Sharples and Jonathan Stern about the continuing impact of the Russia-Ukraine war on gas markets. This episode reviews the current flows of gas into Europe from all sources, in particular looking at the continuing decline in imports from Russia and the surprising continuation of very high imports of LNG. We also consider stock levels in Europe ahead of the winter and the prospects for meeting demand under different weather conditions. Jonathan Stern then discusses the latest pronouncements from the EU about price caps and considers whether the ideas are practically workable or just a political wish list. He also reviews the German decision to offer large subsidies to support retail and industrial consumers and wonders how this might affect political strategies in other member states. Finally, we look at the forecasts for the UK over the winter, reflecting on pronouncements that there may be a shortage of gas if a lengthy cold spell arrives and concluding that on balance there should be enough supply to meet demand – just, and at a price.

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In the fourth podcast of the OIES’s six-part COP27 series, we address the outlook and challenges that will be faced at COP27 by three major regions. The podcast talks to Isabel Hilton about China’s climate change policy, Sarah Ladislaw about the recent changes in US climate legislation and its potential impact on COP27 and Klaus Dieter Borchardt on European climate policy and the region’s likely influence at COP27.

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The fifth podcast of the OIES’s six-part COP27 series addresses the importance of technology in delivering the COP27 pledges. David Ledesma and James Henderson talk to Dolf Gielen about the Breakthrough Agenda, announced at COP26, and the key technologies which are its focus, to Martin Lambert about his views on the future of green gases, including hydrogen, and to Rez Maddahi, who examines the importance of CCUS, BECCS and DACCS technologies.

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In the sixth and final podcast of OIES’s pre-COP27 series, David Ledesma talks to Michal Meidan and James Henderson about the challenges facing the participants at the forthcoming COP27 conference that is being held 6-18th November in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. The discussion covers the key issues for COP27 as well as the most contentious issues that will need to be tackled. The speakers take stock of what has (and hasn’t) happened since COP26 in Glasgow, discuss China-US relations and China’s approach to the conference as well as its potential role as “the leader of the Global South”. Finally, the speakers discuss the nexus between domestic politics and COP27, given that the meeting in Egypt coincides with the mid-term elections in the US, and convenes as Europe grapples with the energy implications of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Can the EU still position itself as a global climate leader?

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In this latest OIES podcast, David Ledesma talks to David Sandalow and Michal Meidan about their recent book, Guide to Chinese Climate Policy 2022 which they co-authored with Dr Philip Andrews-Speed, Anders Hove, Sally Qiu and Edmund Downie, published by the OIES’s in November 2022. In the podcast they discuss the rationale for the book, the changes they note in China’s climate policy since the Guide was last published in 2019 as well as some of the contrasts in China’s climate policy. They talk about the ongoing importance of coal and the rapid roll out of renewables, changes in how China thinks about the Belt and Road and some of the key takeaways from the 2022 edition of the Guide to Chinese Climate Policy.

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In this podcast David Ledesma discusses with Professor Jonathan Stern ‘Carbon-neutral’ LNG. Jonathan Stern argues that ‘Carbon-neutral’ LNG has become progressively limited to a relatively small number of trades in Asia and cannot be considered a credible or relevant environmental standard. Cargos should be ‘greenhouse gas verified’ and should set out the methodologies used to measure, report, and verify emissions. These methodologies should distinguish between assumptions and models for estimating emissions, and empirical measurement of emissions. Measurement and reporting should be subject to verification by technically qualified companies which should have the capability to replicate a sample of emissions from the different assets in the supply chain. If offsets are used to claim GHG neutrality, these should be reported in detail along with the MRV of emissions.

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In this podcast, David Ledesma talks with Agnieszka Ason, Senior Visiting Research Fellow at the OIES and Manuel Calvo Diaz, Energy and Environment Director of the Naturgy Foundation about the new OIES paper on International Gas Contracts, which was prepared with support from the Naturgy Foundation. The paper explains the fundamentals of Gas Supply Agreements for pipeline gas (GSAs) and Sale and Purchase Agreements for LNG (LNG SPAs), which combine various commercial choices of the parties and their shared outlook for market changes. The paper identifies the key challenges for international gas contracting, including (1) flexibility, (2) security, and (3) decarbonisation. It also highlights the market’s re-focus on long-term LNG SPAs amidst the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

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Much of the world requires winter heating and in most places this heating is still provided by fossil fuels. In this podcast David Ledesma discusses Northern China with Philip Andrews-Speed, Senior Research Fellow at OIES and Yuchao Xu, graduate from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore, where this problem is particularly acute as coal and biomass have long been the fuel of choice for household heating. In 2016, China’s government launched a vigorous programme to deploy “clean heating” fuels and technologies to households. The coal-rich province of Shanxi followed through with its own mix of implementing measures. Between 2016 and 2020, these met with a relatively high degree of success but encountered two sets of challenges. First, high costs placed a burden on households and local governments. Second, hasty implementation to achieve targets led to poor coordination and planning.

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