Authors

Mary Keogh¹; Michael Kalis¹; Judith Kaern¹;  ¹ Interdisciplinary Centre for Baltic Sea Region Research, Germany

Discussion

Reconciling energy equity, energy security, and environmental sustainability presents a significant headache for energy actors. Amidst a global energy crisis, the challenges posed by this "energy trilemma" are particularly acute in the Baltic Sea Region (BSR), where recent suspensions of Russian energy supplies have contributed to high costs and blackout warnings. This paper explores manifestations of the energy trilemma in the BSR and considers how energy actors can respond to emergent challenges in a way that balances the three dimensions of the trilemma.
The paper first conceptualises the “energy trilemma”, a term frequently utilised without theoretical rigour in academic debate on energy policy. It then introduces the energy scenario in the BSR before considering the structural factors contributing to energy challenges in the region. In particular, it explores the significant variances in policy and regulatory approaches towards resolving the trilemma. A final section examines the ongoing rapid transformation of energy systems in the BSR in light of the invasion of Ukraine and evaluates how regional energy actors are confronting the dynamism and uncertainty currently inherent in regional systems. Ultimately, we argue that the trilemma cannot be resolved at the state level and that multilateral cooperation offers a complimentary strategy for ensuring an equitable, secure, and environmentally sustainable energy system.