CALL FOR ABSTRACTS
CIL Conference on
Conceptualising International Energy Law:
Shaping the Future Amidst Transition in a VUCA World
National University of Singapore, 25th September 2025
The Centre for International Law (CIL) at the National University of Singapore is pleased to announce a one-day conference titled ‘Conceptualising International Energy Law: Shaping the Future Amidst Transition in a VUCA World’, which will take place in Singapore on Thursday, 25 September 2025. We invite you to submit your abstracts for presentation. Selected candidates will have the opportunity to develop their proposals into chapters for inclusion in an edited book following the conference.
Conference Aims and Objectives
The urgency of the ongoing energy transition has never been greater in the face of the profound threat not only to human well-being but also to ecosystems worldwide. Yet deepening geopolitical conflicts, escalating global trade wars, and increasing socio-economic pressures are intensifying this already formidable challenge, undermining the very international cooperation needed to effect this critical shift. Amidst an increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous or “VUCA” world, the aims of this conference are to (i) foster a discussion on the conceptualisation of international energy law; and (ii) understand how global and regional perspectives on energy governance and the energy transition are shaping not only the conceptualisation but also development of international energy law.
There is clearly a role for international energy law in accelerating the energy transition, while addressing the complexities of the energy trilemma - balancing the need for energy security, environmental sustainability, and energy equity in energy governance. Beyond the energy transition, international energy law also plays an important role in shaping the future of global energy governance to support sustainable development. The premise of this conference is that, amid the complexities of a VUCA world, greater clarity about the very concept of international energy law is essential for it to play a more prominent and purposeful role in this context. Yet despite the growing importance of international energy law, ambiguities continue to surround the concept of international energy law, with ongoing debates about not only its terminology and scope but also the priorities it should address and its connection to global and regional energy governance frameworks. At present, existing scholarship on the role of international energy law in facilitating the energy transition tends not to address these ambiguities.
It is within the above context that this conference aims to foster a deeper understanding of international energy law, and welcomes presentations on the conceptualisation of international energy law as well as those providing global and regional perspectives on how the energy transition and energy governance are shaping its conceptualisation and development. Of particular interest are presentations, including but not limited to, those on the following topics:
- Interdisciplinary approaches and linkages between international energy law and other global legal regimes (such as climate, environment, trade, investment, human rights etc.)
- Defining the scope and priorities of international energy law: principles, norms, and meta-norms
- Evolving theories of international energy law in a rapidly changing global context
- Interrelationships between international energy law and global energy governance
- Re-imagining international energy law for the global energy transition and the energy trilemma
- Impact of geopolitical conflicts on international energy law
- The role of regional energy cooperation in shaping international energy law
- The North–South divide and international energy law
- Role of courts and tribunals in shaping international energy law
This conference welcomes scholars interested in engaging in discussions on the conceptualisation and development of international energy law and how global and regional perspectives on energy governance and the energy transition are shaping its conceptualisation and development.
Submission Procedure:
Authors are invited to submit:
- A concise abstract (up to 500 words) outlining the research question, methodology, and key arguments
- A brief reflection (up to 500 words) on how the submission aligns with the conference aims and objectives, and specific topic(s), if applicable
- Author information including full name, affiliation, and contact details
Funding & Publication:
Candidates whose proposals are selected will have their costs for travel (return airfare on economy) and hotel accommodation (two nights) covered. Additionally, selected candidates will have the opportunity to develop their proposals into chapters for inclusion in an edited book following the conference.
Important Dates:
- Abstract Submission Deadline: 15 June 2025
- Notification of Acceptance: 30 June 2025
- Conference Date: 25th September 2025
Contact Details:
For any questions about this conference, please contact Dr. Mohammad Hazrati at mhazrati@nus.edu.sg. We look forward to receiving your proposals.