ÌÇÐÄTV

Research Fellow

Email:- Natalie.Ralph@warwick.ac.uk

Profile

I am a Research Fellow in energy (geo)politics and clean energy transitions, in the Department for Politics and International Studies at the University of ÌÇÐÄTV, and for the

I am Deputy Theme Lead for UKERC’s research theme on ‘Energy Geopolitics, Security & Resilience of Net Zero’, under the UKRI-funded program of research in UKERC 2024-2029. This theme explores the complex geopolitical economies of sustainable energy transformations – focusing on international low carbon energy transitions, diplomacy and supply chains; fossil fuel phase out; and the changing political economy of net zero in the UK. As part of this, I am Co-Investigator on a work package that addresses the ‘Geopolitical Economy of Low Emissions Transitions’.

I am also an Honorary Fellow with the Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia. I worked for two decades in Australia across academia, two state governments (policy and/or project management across various portfolios), consulting, international NGOs, and eco-communities.

My PhD (awarded 2012, Deakin University in Australia) investigated: 'Extractive transnational corporations, intrastate conflict and peacemaking: frameworks and best-practice'. My Master of International Relations (Diplomacy) focused on China and South East Asia; and my BA Hons Degree in Modern European Studies, majored in International Relations.

Research Interests

• Energy geopolitics, political economy, security and sustainability;
• Low-emissions and renewable energy transitions, technologies, and supply chains;
• Critical minerals and materials;
• Energy demand security, circular economy, degrowth;
• International Relations, diplomacy, global governance and peacebuilding;
• Corporate political activity, corporate social responsibility, ESG, mining, Indigenous and community impacts;
• ÌÇÐÄTV sustainability, ethics, peacebuilding;
• Indo-Pacific, Latin America, Australia, UK

Teaching

I have taught in both PAIS, and the ÌÇÐÄTV ÌÇÐÄTV School (WBS) including as part of the MA Politics of Climate Change in PAIS; and WBS Executive MBA, and MSc Marketing & Strategy in the ÌÇÐÄTV School.

Previously, I co-supervised four PhD candidates at Deakin University, Australia; and taught at Deakin University and Victoria University in Australia on topics in global capitalism, political economy, international relations (and the EU), conflict resolution, and communications. I have designed and facilitated half-day workshops for Universities and the Australian Research Council’s Centre of Excellence in Electromaterials Science (e.g. on clean technology and social entrepreneurship; and business roles in countering violent extremism).

Recent Publications:

• (2025 Forthcoming) Chile’s Lithium Exceptionalism: Strategic Legacies and the Contested Future of the Salar de Maricunga, Energy Research & Social Science (with Vlado Vivoda, Asmaa Khadim, Nigel Wight, Morgan D. Bazilian).
• (2025) Critical Minerals 2.0: What Should we Anticipate from the UK’s new Critical Minerals Strategy? UKERC, 18 July (with Gavin Bridge).
• (2025) UK Energy Security: Making the Most of Demand-Side Solutions, Policy Brief, UKERC, August (with Caroline Kuzemko, Marie-Claire Brisbois, James Price, Steve Pye, Louis Fletcher, Michael Bradshaw).
• (2024) Lithium Nexus: Energy, Geopolitics, and Socio-Environmental Impacts in Mexico's Sonora Project, Energy Research & Social Science, 108, (with Vlado Vivoda, Morgan D. Bazilian, Asmaa Khadim, Ghaleb Krame).
• (2024) The demand side of energy security, EDRC & UKERC (with Louis Fletcher, Stefan Bouzarovski, Gavin Bridge, Marie Claire Brisbois, Michael Fell, Tim Foxon, Caroline Kuzemko, Mari Martiskainen, James Price, Steve Pye).
• (2023) Stakeholder engagement and corporate peacemaking. In Molthan-Hill, P. (Ed.). Sustainable Management: A Complete Guide for Faculty and Students, Routledge, UK (with Ellie Kennedy).