Navigating Geopolitics and Economic Complexity in Global Energy Transitions

Abstract

The global shift toward sustainable energy is increasingly hampered by entrenched socio-political resistance and institutional legacies within advanced industrial economies. Despite rapid technological advancements, the transition remains uneven due to the persistence of fossil-centric infrastructure and complex political-economic dependencies. This study aims to evaluate how institutional commitment and structural path dependencies influence the effectiveness of energy transition policies in G20 and OECD nations. Adopting a qualitative research design, the study utilizes a literature-based approach relying exclusively on the synthesis of secondary data. The analytical framework is rooted in a geographical political economy perspective to examine the multidimensional nature of energy landscapes. Data were collected from high-impact peer-reviewed journals and comprehensive policy reports, utilizing thematic categorization to map variables across institutional, economic, and technological dimensions. The results indicate that high-quality governance and strong environmental compliance are primary catalysts for transition, yet their impact is frequently neutralized by geopolitical risks and social imbalances. The study concludes that a successful structural energy transition requires a profound reconfiguration of the state-market relationship rather than purely technocratic fixes. This research contributes to the field by providing a nuanced socio-political framework that fills the gap between high-level climate rhetoric and ground-level institutional implementation.