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Global Energy Policy: A Legal Perspective on Renewable Energy Initiatives

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  • Yasin Çağlar Kaya

    (Department of International Relations, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Karadeniz Technical University, 61080 Trabzon, Turkey
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Hasret Kaya

    (Department of International Relations, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Karadeniz Technical University, 61080 Trabzon, Turkey
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

Abstract

The shift to renewable energy has become a crucial element in addressing climate change. However, the legal systems that regulate this transition are still largely fragmented, and there is no single international legal framework that governs renewable energy comprehensively. This study investigates why such a unified global framework has not emerged despite various international efforts. It identifies several key challenges, such as the lack of binding commitments in global treaties, inconsistencies between national energy laws, and overlapping jurisdictions. By examining how national policies interact with major international agreements—namely the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Kyoto Protocol, and the Paris Agreement—this study uncovers structural shortcomings that hinder global legal coordination in the renewable energy field. Using a comparative legal approach, the paper highlights how the existing agreements fall short in offering enforceable and coherent standards. In doing so, it contributes to the ongoing discussion on legal fragmentation in environmental governance and suggests possible pathways for developing more integrated legal responses to renewable energy challenges.

Suggested Citation

  • Yasin Çağlar Kaya & Hasret Kaya, 2025. "Global Energy Policy: A Legal Perspective on Renewable Energy Initiatives," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(9), pages 1-21, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:9:p:3991-:d:1645093
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