The Energy Trilemma in the Baltic Sea Region: A Methodology for an Index Assessing the Discursive Environment of Energy Security, Energy Equity and Environmental Sustainability

Description

Russia’s war in Ukraine brings new vulnerabilities to the Baltic Sea Region (BSR) not only in terms of regional security but also regarding its energy supplies and distribution. The winter of 2022/23 will be decisive and it remains to be seen whether the war will serve as a turning point for energy policies across the whole region. In the conflict between the three dimensions of the energy trilemma - energy security, energy equity and environmental sustainability, it will become clearer whether the BSR states can ensure a balance between the need to secure energy supplies and the impact of that on energy equity and environmental sustainability.
So far, the positions of the BSR states and their weighting of the various dimensions of the energy trilemma (energy security, energy equity, environmental sustainability) have been insufficiently researched. Comparative discursive research still is a lacuna (Isoaho, Karhunmaa, 2019). Using a mixed-methods approach that combines qualitative and quantitative discourse analysis, this paper aims to develop an Energy Trilemma Discourse Index consisting of three discourse indices for the dimensions of energy security, energy equity and environmental sustainability. The primary purpose of the paper is therefore to present a methodology for an index that enables a quick discursive comparison of country positions. The development of the index highlights the discursive side in order to not only address decision outcomes but also the motivations, justifications, perceptions, contestations and contexts underlying these choices.
In a longer perspective, the purpose of the research project is to identify opportunities for a successful integration of energy policies of the BSR countries as a prerequisite for a less conflicting future energy transition.

Period	16 Jun 2023
Event title	15th Conference on Baltic Studies in Europe (CBSE): Turning Points: Values and Conflicting Futures in the Baltics
Event type	Conference
Conference number	15
Location	Kaunas, LithuaniaShow on map
Degree of Recognition	International