Energy Beyond Technology: Soft Power and the New Energy Discourse

At the United Nations roundtable on energy transition in Geneva, there was no product showcase, no race for market visibility, no brand names flashing across the screen. What dominated the room instead was something far more powerful — the silent negotiation of narratives.

Today, when we speak of energy, we are no longer just speaking about batteries, grids, and infrastructure. We are entering the realm of language, legitimacy, and global imagination.

❖ Just Transition: A Technological Shift or a Cultural Question?

At Session 3 of the conference, titled “Strengthening partnerships on just transition for resilient energy systems,” a core tension emerged:

Who defines what “transition” looks like?

Which countries get to shape the discourse of sustainability?

Whose voices are quietly left out of the global green agenda?

The topic wasn’t just about energy technologies — it was about frameworks, access, and invisible asymmetries.

❖ From Engineering Power to Structuring Influence

What became apparent is this:

Technology is an entry ticket. Structure is the real seat at the table.

Representatives from ILO, UNECE, ESCAP, ITUC, national think tanks and multilateral agencies weren’t merely comparing innovations. They were articulating values:

• Social equity within energy policy;

• Ethical frameworks beyond carbon metrics;

• Cultural narratives of “green” beyond the West.

In this new landscape, the most influential actors are not necessarily those with superior hardware — but those capable of shaping global consensus.

❖ The Rise of Gentle Power: A Role for China-Europe Platforms

As an Italo-Chinese platform for sustainable cooperation, our goal is not merely to “participate in the dialogue” — but to reframe its structure.

Between China and Europe lies a unique opportunity to build what we call gentle power:

Not aggressive lobbying. Not transactional trade-offs. But the ability to cultivate shared imaginaries, to mediate between systems, and to design institutional bridges with cultural nuance.

At this stage of the global transition, we believe:

It’s not who owns more lithium that will define the future — but who tells the more inclusive, resonant story of why the world must transition together.

📸 Suggested Caption for the Image:

Photograph taken at the UNECE high-level dialogue on energy transition. Session 3 focused on “Just Transition and Systemic Partnerships” — hosted by key UN agencies and multilateral advisors from across energy, labor, and policy sectors.