The Arctic is a specific geographical region with extreme climate conditions, vulnerable environment, but rather intensive ongoing industrialization. The Arctic requires alternative solutions to provide energy supply to the energy consumers due to the growing energy demand and small-scale decentralized character of energy supply. At the moment, the largest part of energy consumption in the region is covered by hydrocarbon energy resources delivered from the mainland. Renewable energy technologies may be efficiently implemented to cover the needs of small scale decentralized energy consumers in the Russian Arctic, but at the moment they are applied on a very modest scale. The current study analyses and discusses the main challenges and risks related to renewable energy resources use in the Russian Arctic. Further, the study elaborates on the issues related to the environmental challenges and climate change-related threats, their relationship and influence on the technological choices of the future energy supply in the region, addressing the perspectives of sustainable development of the Russian Arctic.

This study provides a comprehensive, updated, and refined analysis of the challenges and opportunities for Russian natural gas exports based on recent statistical data, academic publications, and media sources. The paper addresses the lack of continuity in studies within the topic since the recent changes are not reflected well enough in the current peer-reviewed literature. In order to understand the perspectives regarding Russian natural gas export in global natural gas markets, we consequently examine the current layout of the global natural gas markets, and challenges and opportunities for Russian natural gas exports. The analysis shows that the U.S. natural gas market is closed for Russian exports. In the European market, Russia is experiencing difficulties in increasing its export shares, or even maintaining current levels, owing to various macroeconomic and geopolitical challenges. Asian markets such as China, India, Japan, and South Korea, are the most promising destinations for future Russian natural gas exports. Despite strong geopolitical challenges and high competition globally, Russia should seek maintaining current export levels in the European market, while implementing a win-win export strategy, and secure its future export shares on the Asian markets. The results of the study can be used for scenario and planning purposes, and be useful for policy makers and industry practitioners.

The study focuses on the challenging complexity of the energy industry transformation. Despite sustainability and climate concerns the exploitation of conventional oil and natural gas resources is ongoing. We investigate the case of Arctic offshore oil and natural gas resources exploitation through a set of interviews, providing two national examples of Norway and Russia. The study design and methodology are inspired by a multi-level perspective framework (MLP) to large socio-technical systems. We focus on the interaction between the landscape and regime levels of the energy industry. The MLP analysis shows that Norway and Russia act differently under the same landscape factors and adjust on the regime level according to their national goals. We conclude that the landscape level does not shape the regime level equally, which complicates the transformational processes in the energy industry. The paper contributes to the sustainability transitions literature through a rarely investigated case, and suggests theoretical implications regarding the interactions between the regime and landscape levels of MLP. The paper introduces a different analytical perspective for scholars of Arctic studies.

Biodiesel blending mandate has been established in Indonesia since 2006. After 11 years of implementation, the level of biodiesel penetration on the market is still lower than the target. Technological Innovation System (TIS) approach allows to map factors that influence, either hinder or boost, the diffusion of biodiesel technology. The challenges that should be addressed are tax regulation; price fluctuation due to Crude Palm Oil (CPO) and fossil fuel price; lack of awareness from the society; inconsistency of policy; vulnerable financial funding from palm oil tax levy; lack of sustainability indicators for palm oil; and policy objection regarding palm oil tax levy. We suggest that an agreement, which contains commitment and willingness from all actors involved, should be created to reduce uncertainty towards implementation of biodiesel. Government should not only put incentive to the emerging technology but also reduce competition within the incumbent energy system to increase and stabilize biodiesel demand. Another way to increase biodiesel demand would be to raise awareness about negative consequences of increasing fossil fuel consumption and the benefits of biodiesel for the society.

The paper addresses the problem of quality assurance of university internationalisation by analysing the student expectations about university international services. The research aims to answer how important are university international activities for students and what are the indicators of quality of international programme from student perspective. The research is based on the quantitative survey of 207 students mainly from Nordic countries and Russia who represent both domestic and international student body. The study uses statistical item-by-item analysis. Students consider international exchange, internships abroad and interaction with students from other countries as important part of their studies. International study experiences are primarily appreciated for expanding horizons by living in another culture and improving job prospects. Reputation, international university rankings position and strong specialisation are the criteria for evaluating the quality of international programme. Student feedback on the needs for internationalisation support provides points for further development. More opportunities for international internships, intensive language courses and activities for more interaction of international and local students are the key directions for improvement of students' international experiences. The findings of this study contribute to the stream of literature analysing the quality of university internationalisation, and can be utilised in development of international study services.

The Arctic region has been an area of low tension since the end of the Cold War. This observation is important because the run on hydrocarbons in the Arctic has not resulted in increased rivalries as expected. The outcomes have been international joint ventures in oil and gas project on the economic side and a strengthening of Arctic governance in the political realm. Since 2014, the situation has changed rapidly. Economic interests in hydrocarbon development are increasingly diverging between the five Arctic coastal states. The geopolitical situation between Russia and the West after the annexation of Crimea and military conflict in Ukraine affect the Arctic. There is the danger of falling back to old times when the Arctic was a highly strategic and militarised zone. The sanctions on Russian offshore oil development in the Arctic add to that. Potential long-lead effects of the sanctions, coinciding with relatively low oil prices, can seriously harm the long-term development of oil and gas fields in the Arctic. Joint energy projects had been a stabilising factor in the past.

The paper discusses the increasing levels of instability in both economics and politics in the Arctic and the mutually reinforcing effects on international politics. We come to the conclusion that a “loss of a cooperative spirit” can be observed. We argue that these dynamics challenge stable and predictable relations, which work against a sustainable Arctic development that takes the global commons, the environment and the climate into consideration.

From a German and EU perspective, there are far-reaching future implications for the security of energy supply, as two of its major suppliers, Norway and Russia, have their resource bases in the Arctic.

In this chapter, we aim to contribute to the understanding of industrial dynamics through a concept of development blocks introduced by Dahmén (1950/1970) applied to the case of thepetroleum industry (oil and natural gas). In pursuing that objective, we first aim to offer some insight into the current state of the energy sector and the petroleum industry by describing the development of the energy system from the 1800s to the present day to reveal the system’s structural changes. Second, we focus on the definition of the development block. We suggest a brief overview of relevant notions and the manner in which they function within the conceptual framework. Third, we apply the development block concept to the case of the petroleum industry. We want to explore the new structural tensions and transformation pressures in the petroleum industry that have occurred within the last transformation period. Finally, we elucidate the theoretical and empirical conclusions both in terms of the use of the concept of development blocks and of the dynamics of the petroleum industry by focusing on the latest industrial period; then, we suggest managerial and policy implications deriving from our investigation.

In this chapter, we aim to contribute to the understanding of industrial dynamics through a concept of development blocks introduced by Dahmén (1950/1970) applied to the case of thepetroleum industry (oil and natural gas). In pursuing that objective, we first aim to offer some insight into the current state of the energy sector and the petroleum industry by describing the development of the energy system from the 1800s to the present day to reveal the system’s structural changes. Second, we focus on the definition of the development block. We suggest a brief overview of relevant notions and the manner in which they function within the conceptual framework. Third, we apply the development block concept to the case of the petroleum industry. We want to explore the new structural tensions and transformation pressures in the petroleum industry that have occurred within the last transformation period. Finally, we elucidate the theoretical and empirical conclusions both in terms of the use of the concept of development blocks and of the dynamics of the petroleum industry by focusing on the latest industrial period; then, we suggest managerial and policy implications deriving from our investigation.

This study provides a comprehensive, updated, and refined analysis of the challenges and opportunities for Russian natural gas exports based on the latest statistical data, recent academic publications, and media sources. The paper addresses the lack of continuity in studies within the topic since the recent changes are not reflected well enough in the current peer-reviewed literature. In order to understand the perspectives regarding Russian natural gas export in global natural gas markets, we consequently examine the current layout of the global natural gas markets, and challenges and opportunities for Russian natural gas exports. The analysis shows that the U.S. natural gas market is closed for Russian exports. In the European market, Russia is experiencing difficulties in increasing its export shares, or even maintaining current levels, owing to various macroeconomic and geopolitical challenges. Asian markets such as China, India, Japan, and South Korea, are the most promising destinations for future Russian natural gas exports. Despite strong geopolitical challenges and high competition globally, Russia should seek maintaining current export levels in the European market, while implementing a win-win export strategy, and secure its future export shares on the Asian markets. The results of the study can be used for scenario and planning purposes, and be useful for policy makers and industry practitioners.