5 spunti per approfondire (41/2024)

La rubrica settimanale con i consigli di lettura di RivistaEnergia.it, dall’Europa e dal mondo. Settimana 41/2024

“The Jaguar, a tanker the length of nearly five Olympic-size swimming pools, left a port near St. Petersburg, Russia, last year, bound for India and loaded with Russian oil. Its trip that spring came as Western authorities were frantically trying to piece together the network to which it belonged: one of shadowy ships with hidden owners on whom powerful Russians relied to transport the nation’s valuable oil.”

In a Cat-and-Mouse Game, Russian Oil Tankers Are Flying New Flags
Articolo – The New York Times

“Alumina futures in Shanghai spiked to a record as global supply disruptions and resilient Chinese demand continue to tighten the market of the main feedstock for aluminum smelters. Alumina jumped 4.2% to close at 4,553 yuan ($644) a ton on the Shanghai Futures Exchange on Friday, the highest since the contract debuted in June 2023. Aluminum climbed 1.4% to $2,621.50 a ton on the London Metal Exchange as of 8:52 a.m. local time, leading gains among industrial metals.”

Alumina Jumps to Record in China on Supply Woes, Strong Demand
Articolo – Bloomberg

“Members of Australian LNG workers’ union the Offshore Alliance (OA) that are employed by companies owned by engineering firm Altrad are undertaking protected industrial action (PIA) at Chevron Australia’s two LNG facilities. About 140 gas maintenance workers began rolling stoppages and work bans today because of dissatisfaction with negotiations for a new enterprise bargaining agreement, the OA said. The PIA can occur for 30 days from when the results of a union members’ ballot was declared on 2 October, and may be extended if agreed by the Fair Work Commission.”

Strike starts at Chevron Australia’s LNG sites: Update
Articolo – Argus Media

“Iran has urged oil-rich Gulf states to remain “neutral” after Tehran fired a barrage of missiles at Israel last week, as it pursues a diplomatic drive in the region amid fears that the Middle East is sliding to all-out war. The Islamic republic has cautioned its Arab neighbours, who worry about getting caught in the crossfire, not to “facilitate” an Israeli response such as allowing Israel’s war planes to use their airspace, said an Iranian official.”

Tehran urges Gulf states to stay ‘neutral’ amid Israel tensions
Articolo – Financial Times

“Decarbonization of the energy system to combat climate change poses a significant challenge for the Netherlands, often attributed to carbon lock-in: a persistent dependence on fossil fuels shaped by historical forces. Carbon lock-in also occurs at the discursive level, which is why research on sustainability transitions increasingly explores discourses as a crucial element for change. Our research contributes to this knowledge by exploring how counternarratives shape the discursive dynamics surrounding the fossil fuel industry’s role in the Dutch energy system. Using an interpretive approach, we examine how the role of Shell, as the ‘epitome’ of the Dutch fossil fuel industry, is framed by both Shell itself and three discursive agents opposing fossil fuel-based pathways. To this end, we reconstruct the counternarratives by Friends of the Earth NL, Follow This, Code Rood and Shell around how they envision the role of Shell in the Dutch energy system, with the goal to identify how discursive agents position their narratives vis-à-vis each other and if coalitions are formed. Our findings reveal that discursive agents deploy a variety of strategic practices to increase the successful reproduction of their narratives: first, Code Rood strategically adopts a radical narrative that stimulates imagination, polarizing the discursive struggle surrounding Shell’s role in the energy system. Second, Follow This strategically adopts a marginal narrative, designed to persuade incumbents of alternative interpretations, especially to rethink the profitability of fossil fuels. Third, Friends of the Earth NL and Follow This enhance their discursive agency through coalition building. Since unlocking institutionalized discourses becomes more important, further research should shed light on discursive dynamics within the institutionalized discourse. By offering insights into the pivotal role(s) of counternarratives in instigating discursive change, this study contributes to the growing body of knowledge crucial for accelerating the shift toward a decarbonized energy system.”

Unravelling the discursive dynamics of counternarratives in the Dutch energy transition
Ricerca – The Extractive Industries and Society

della stessa rubrica

5 spunti per approfondire (40/2024), 4 ottobre
5 spunti per approfondire (39/2024), 27 settembre
5 spunti per approfondire (38/2024), 20 settembre