Off-limits: The ocean as the new battleground in energy transitions

The world’s oceans are emerging as a critical battleground in global debates about transitions away from fossil fuels. There are important implications for marine policy not only because of increasing climate impacts on oceans if fossil fuel production is not constrained, but because oceans are emerging as a key frontline in debates about energy pathways. As a source of critical transition minerals, a site of energy generation and a route for transporting energy they are assuming an ever more central role. But around the world conflicting and often incompatible state policies come to a head between ocean production and fossil fuel development. Here I explore two particular initiatives to advance this agenda: firstly, a fossil treaty which seeks to prevent expansion, phase out existing capacity and support state capacity to enable a transition away from fossil fuels secondly fossil-free zones as a means to put areas of the sea off limits for fossil fuel exploration and exploitation. I discuss both proposals in turn before reflecting on how issues of justice need to be addressed to reconcile ‘blue justice’ with a just transition away from fossil fuels.