Navigating towards a secure and sustainable future
logo
Mistra Geopolitics
logo
  • About
    • Programme
    • Team
    • Board
    • Partners
    • Stakeholders
  • Geopolitics
    • Background
    • Challenges
  • Research Themes
    • Food security
    • Sustainable Oceans
    • Decarbonization
    • Foresight
  • Our research
    • Publications
    • Work packages
    • Researchers
    • Research School
    • Annual reports
      • 2022
      • 2021
      • 2020
      • 2019
      • 2018
      • 2017
  • Latest
    • News
    • Podcast
    • Events
    • Videos
  • Contact
Comments & Insights
Disruptive impacts of electric vehicles should be focus at upcoming G20
June 20, 2019 by Mistra Geopolitics in Comments & Insights

A new report by Mistra Geopolitics partner, E3G, finds most countries are not prepared for impacts of unexpectedly rapid market penetration of Electric Vehicles (EVs). Against the backdrop of rising populism and protectionism there is a risk that the transition to EVs will exacerbate geopolitical tensions.

Research Director at E3G, Taylor Dimsdale, said:

History shows new technologies can be adopted at exponential rates. If EVs keep growing at their current pace, batteries could be to the 21st century what oil was to the 20th. The shift could be disruptive and carries all sorts of risks for oil producers and vulnerable regions. But EVs are also an opportunity for countries to work together on technology, energy and trade. This would reinforce regional stability and dramatically reduce climate risk.

An E3G assessment finds EV adoption is likely to influence geopolitics through several interrelated mechanisms, including international trade, energy security and competition over strategic resources. EVs will also have second and third order effects with geopolitical or human security implications, in large part as a result of declining revenues and tax bases in oil producing countries. In each case EVs have the potential to be a catalyst for greater cooperation, or a source of conflict. In a time of rising populism, resource nationalism and trade barriers, there is a high risk that the transition to EVs could be badly managed and exacerbate these tensions.

An E3G review of recent foreign policy and security literature supported by interviews with experts finds very limited attention is being paid to the geopolitical or security implications of a high EV scenario.

Based on the analysis undertaken for the study, E3G proposes several recommendations with the aim of supporting international cooperation to help mitigate the risk of geopolitical tensions and a disorderly energy transition.

Read more and download the report.

Mistra Geopolitics

Latest news

  • Q&A: Why and how G20 leaders should support the UN High Seas Treaty September 7, 2023
  • Mistra Geopolitics at the Swedish political week in Almedalen June 20, 2023
  • ‘Ecocide should be recognised as a violation of international law’ June 13, 2023
  • Mistra Geopolitics in the spotlight: 2022’s most influential climate conversations June 1, 2023
  • Mistra Geopolitics’ Co-Director appointed to high-level strategic foresight panel May 11, 2023
  • Interviews with Mistra Geopolitics scholars’ April 27, 2023
  • Loss and Damage and Climate Negotiations workshop in Fiji April 27, 2023
  • Economic growth forecasts ignore the effects of armed conflict March 30, 2023
  • Geopolitics and decarbonization: global actors and local impacts March 3, 2023
  • Highlights from the Mistra Geopolitics annual conference 2023 March 3, 2023
logo
© Mistra Geopolitics 2023
logo

We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website. You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in .

Contact us Mistra Geopolitics
Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable information.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.

3rd Party Cookies

This website uses Google Analytics to collect anonymous information such as the number of visitors to the site, and the most popular pages.

Keeping this cookie enabled helps us to improve our website.

Please enable Strictly Necessary Cookies first so that we can save your preferences!

Cookie Policy

More information about Cookie Policy