Round the World in 90 Minutes – A Global View of Energy Disputes

The global energy sector is undergoing unprecedented change. As jurisdictions accelerate carbon reduction targets, expand renewable infrastructure, and reshape regulatory frameworks, disputes are evolving just as rapidly. Against the backdrop of LIDW’s 2026 theme — Tradition, trust and transformation in international dispute resolution — this panel will examine how established mechanisms of cross border dispute resolution are adapting to an era defined by geopolitical volatility, technological transition, and shifting expectations of corporate responsibility.

Drawing on perspectives across the globe, the panel will consider recent case studies, emerging regulatory pressures, and the dispute resolution pathways parties are turning to as the energy market continues to globalise and fragment at once.

This session will explore how energy related disputes are manifesting across different regions, with insights into:

• the traditional foundations of international dispute resolution that continue to underpin complex energy contracts;

• the role of trust — between states, commercial partners, investors, and local communities — in preventing and resolving disputes; and

• the transformative forces reshaping the sector, from decarbonisation and digitisation to the opportunities and risks of AI, and to resource nationalism, ESG driven litigation and state linked investment.