Building the New by digging up the Old: What a trip to the archives can tell us about creating an international energy charter for a just and sustainable energy transition.
When the EU decided to withdraw from the Energy Charter Treaty in May 2024, many campaigners experienced a moment of triumph, that the outdated “fossil dinosaur” of a treaty had finally been ditched and with it the controversial investor state dispute resolution provisions that had enabled investors to claim large sums of compensation from governments who were trying to phase out fossil fuels. The Energy Charter Treaty, so the consensus goes, is an investment treaty that was created to provide investment protection to the fossil fuel industry and is therefore now outdated and a hindrance to climate action. However, a look through materials in the National Archives in Kew reveals a different story. This talk reports on the findings of research on the origins of the Energy Charter Treaty in the early 1990s. It suggests that going back to the roots might enable us to find a path towards a new and improved International Energy Charter that has climate change and environmental protection at its core.
About the event
This event is only for Westminster’s staff and students - no registration is required. It will take place at Regent Street, Room 413.
About the lab
The Climate and Energy Policy Lab is an exciting unit run by climate change and energy policy experts at the University of Westminster. The Climate and Energy Policy Lab Academic Coordinator is Dr Wojciech Ostrowski [email protected].
About the speaker
Daniela Muth
Daniela Muth is a lecturer at Westminster Law School, where she teaches International Energy and Climate Change Law, Corporate Finance, Business and Commercial Law. She is dual-qualified to practise law in the UK and Germany and spent many years as a corporate lawyer advising domestic and multinational companies in the oil and gas sector. Before going into law, Daniela completed a degree in History and Philosophy at Lancaster University and also holds a Masters in Continental Philosophy from the University of Warwick.
