CIL Energy Law & Policy Senior Research Fellow, Dr Mohammad Hazrati, has co-authored a chapter in the recently published volume Energy Policymaking in a Cross-national Comparison: Energy Resources, Policy Processes and Law. Titled “United Kingdom: The Energy Sector Through Privatization to Low-Carbon and Brexit”, the chapter examines the evolution of the United Kingdom’s energy sector from the liberalisation and privatisation reforms of the 1980s to the contemporary challenges of decarbonisation, energy security, and Brexit.

The chapter provides a comprehensive analysis of the UK’s energy resources, governance structures, legal and regulatory frameworks, and policymaking processes. It explores how successive governments have sought to balance competing objectives, including affordability, energy security, economic efficiency, and climate action. Particular attention is given to major reforms in the electricity and gas sectors, the transformation of the UK’s energy mix, the development of renewable energy policies, and the role of market-based mechanisms in supporting the transition to a low-carbon economy.

The chapter also assesses the implications of Brexit for the UK energy sector, including its potential effects on energy markets, investment, regulation, and climate governance. By tracing the interaction between law, policy, and market developments, the chapter offers valuable insights into the opportunities and challenges facing the UK as it navigates a complex energy transition while maintaining secure, affordable, and sustainable energy systems.