Global Challenges
Energy Security
Mia M. Bennett: Two groups of states are trying to take the lead on the Arctic battlefront: The “Arctic 5:” Canada, Denmark, Norway, Russia, and the US, versus the Arctic Council, the soft law regional multi-stakeholder institution. Who will dominate the High North power game? …More
Ingrid Lundestad: The United States has stated an intention to become a more active and influential player in the Arctic. What is currently the US position in the region, and what will it look like in the future? …More
K. S. Yalowitz & R. A. Virginia: The economic downturn is lifting pressure off further harmful resource exploitation development in the Arctic region. Will the international community however seize this unexpected opportunity to tackle environmental challenges? US commitment to UN multilateralism is key. …More
Oil, far from the blessing it was expected to be, has failed to lift Iraq out of war and economic stagnation. ++ As demonstrated by high levels of corruption in many oil-exporting nations, overreliance on oil for economic growth can …More
Jean-Pierre Schaeken Willemaers: The current European energy scheme is not sustainable. In that perspective all technological options must be considered and energy savings must be the top priority. Among the current renewable energies, biomass is not given the importance it deserves. …More
For years, Russia has largely benefited from its “energy super power” strategy. ++ Today, using gas and oil supplies as a tool for the Russian diplomacy is becoming less relevant. ++ While the European market is oversupplied and battles over the …More
The global energy market is headed towards a crisis. With the entry of China and India, new consumer nations that do not necessarily seek to satisfy their energy needs by the usual commercial deals are forcing their way into the market. …More
Ukraine’s new President Yanukovych may be a “twice-convicted felon” and sponsored by Moscow this is still good news for Ukraine. ++ After the disastrous mandate of the Orange revolution’s leader Yushcheko, an improvement in Ukraine-Russia …More
Joshua Posaner: Europe should strengthen infrastructure across the former Soviet space as opposed to directly competing with Russia on gas pipelines. The White Stream project currently in development by Ukraine provides a possible counterweight to Moscow’s increasing energy dominance and an antidote to Eastern Europe’s increasing isolation. …More
Manfred Ringpfeil: Nothing could be better for the environment than using natural carbon cycles more effectively and imaginatively, especially considering Europe’s agricultural sector and highly sophisticated technology. In that way, bio fuels have the dual incentives of producing ‘cleaner’ power as well as increasing European energy security. …More
At wintertime, the relentless Russian blackmail over energy, especially gas, starts all over again. ++ The European Union should ensure warmer relations with Russia in more fields other than gas to ease up tension. ++ European efforts are being …More
Aleksandra Palagnyuk: The five-day war between Russia and Georgia in 2008 has reveiled the true importance of the Caucasus region to the EU as well other key international players. In this MA thesis I analyse the implications of the conflict for European foreign policy, especially with regards to EU energy security. …More
Daniel Fiott: China’s quest for natural resources will lead to the strengthening of its navy and possible confrontation with the US. Energy independence can decrease the chances of possible tensions in the world’s oceans and seas. …More
A market wary Turkmenistan is slowly opening to foreign enterprise, but the West has not been greeted with open arms. ++ As the central Asian republic houses the fourth largest natural gas reserve, China, the West and the Muslim world are all vying for influence. …More
Sonja Davidovic: Turkey can play a key role in overcoming existing hurdles to the realization of the Nabucco pipeline project, which will augment Europe’s energy security. In return the EU should assist Turkey on its path to EU membership. …More
Ivan Kalburov: Instead of paying both the economic and political cost for huge infrastructure projects the EU should liberalize its gas markets. By creating a community regulatory agency for imports, exports and national transport networks the EU would greatly enhance its energy security and international standing. …More
Stephen Jerome Blank: As China rises so too does its ability to gain leverage internationally. Beijing is now using this to gain increasing influence from the Russian Far East to Central Asia and opening up a new sphere of influence regionally signaling that China’s long phase on the periphery may be at an end. …More
Jakob Schirmer: If the EaP is tasked with creating a pan European consensus on energy then why does it not include Russia? Exclusion only serves to create divisions between the biggest supplier and the consumer whilst further exacerbating relations between the post Soviet states and Moscow. …More
Jens F. Laurson & George A. Pieler: Banning the Edison bulb is an outrageous example of legislative overkill. Energy efficiency is an important issue, but governments have not the right to dictate their people what kind of light they have to use. Laws addressing such personal decisions are a gross violation of one’s right to privacy. …More
The so-called Arctic 5 of Russia, US, Canada, Norway and Denmark are set for conflict over ownership of land around the North Pole increasingly revealed due to climate change. ++ “Countries are…deeply aware that an ice-free Arctic Ocean would have all …More
Jakob Schirmer: Chancellor Merkel and President Putin recently saved the insolvent German shipyards Wadan by supporting its selling to a Russian investor. The media speculated about large scale orders by Gazprom and its affiliates. Although so far, Gazprom has not ordered any ship and the fate of Wadan is still unclear. …More
Andreas Umland: The Ukrainian Presidential elections scheduled for January 2010 are actually detrimental to the nation’s interests. Ukrainian democracy is weak, and the nation faces the fallout of the world financial crisis and Moscow’s continuously growing imperial appetite.
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Barack Obama’s
entrance into the White House awoke all manner of hope for a fundamental
turnaround in US energy policy. Yet this is not the first time that the world
has looked to Washington in hope that the US …More
In times of international competition for energy resources and strategic partners, the US must move more quickly to embrace a relationship with Turkmenistan and Belarus. ++ China is constructing a gas pipeline to Turkmenistan. ++ Moscow …More
Andrey Chubyk: Achieving energy security in the EU remains one of the most challenging tasks for EU politicians. The recent pipeline crisis in the Ukraine led to the temporary slow down of supply and underlines the urgency of the issue. To prevent further crises, the “European Initiative of Gas Transparency” (EIGT) must be adopted in the Eurasia region. …More
Supporting green policies as a result of climate change hysteria is misguided not only because of the uncertainty of the dangers that global warming might pose, but also because they will be damaging. ++ The economic downturn means it will be hard …More
NATO’s war game maneuvers tell Georgia that it is being considered for candidacy and warns Russia against invading Georgia, stating that the southern Caucuses remain a Western focus.++ However, the timing and nature of the event are …More
To combat climate change, environmentalists should stop supporting carbon taxes and unworkable market-based cap and trade systems in favor of emphasizing investment in alternative energy. ++ This should be done by implementing “feed …More
Tony Hayward: The new American energy policy should be a mixture of alternative energies and drilling. Only a compromise will succeed to tackle climate change while guaranteeing energy security and efficiency. …More
The key for increasing
prosperity in developing countries lies in higher energy efficiency. Sustainable
management of this costly good could reduce the growth of these countries
energy demands in the coming twelve years by …More
Water and energy are the most important resources
for humanity. Both have become more mutually dependent. Beginning in the middle
ages with the water wheel, then used in factories for cooling purposes, to its
application as a fuel source, …More
The gas war has highlighted the urgency of building the Nabucco pipeline. ++ This is good news for Baku as its role in the energy world is likely to increase drastically: it would provide the infrastructure for transporting gas …More
All US presidents say they want to change our dependency on foreign energy, and yet US oil imports have doubled in 35 years. ++ In the future we should not be choosing between coastal oil drilling and energy conservation, but do both. ++ We …More
Berlusconi and Sarkozy have signed an agreement to increase cooperation over nuclear energy and enhance collaboration in related sectors. ++ Yet the get-together turned out to be a compliment race more than an energy agreement. ++ …More
Jens F. Laurson & George A. Pieler: In light of the recent gas crisis, the need for a common European energy policy has risen to the top of the EU agenda. The prompt building of the Nabucco pipeline as well as diversification of resources should be incorporated to assure independence from the Kremlin. …More
The recent gas crisis is remarkably reminiscent of the Cold War in the sense of fear, insecurity and intimidation which it evoked. ++ Inciting such feelings in one’s adversaries is the typical obsession of a tyrannical regime. ++ Putin and …More
Improving relations with Iran might not be as smooth as expected for Obama. ++ Under Russia’s new security strategy, to be adopted end of February, Russia is on the way to making Iran its new strategic partner. ++ An increase in the number …More
Sonja Davidovic: Russia‘s shut down of its Balkan gas deliveries with the ink not yet dried on the Serbian Government/Gazprom deal indicates that vulnerable areas such as energy security must be reflected in a European strategy. …More
Will the massive clean energy investments made in the US over the last couple of years be able to make it through the financial storm? Current perspectives are very encouraging: President Barack Obama seems to be committed, as is …More
The collapse of one of Tennessee Valley Authority’s containment ponds poured toxic coal out in the open causing huge environmental damage. ++ However, there may be something to be gained from the catastrophe as the accident is ringing alarm bells and …More
The two-week gas war between Ukraine and Russia was only partly about money. ++ Russia wanted to split the Ukrainian leadership, where support for leader President Yushchenko has fallen to 5%. ++ PM Tymoshenko has also been …More
Andreas Umland: It appears that in the near future, the European Union monitors will systematically observe the flow of Russian gas to Europe at the Russian-Ukrainian border. Thus, the EU seems to be helping to ease the Russian-Ukrainian confrontation. Or is it? …More
James Cricks: A strategic examination of the recent oil decline reveals long-term challenges created by a depressed environment. As the International Energy Agency (IEA) warned recently, massive investments are needed to keep global oil supplies from declining as long-term demand for oil increases.
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Rapid triumph after the South Ossetian August war and oil barrel prices reaching the stars seem to be no more than distant memories for the Kremlin. ++ The financial crisis has hit Russia hard: aside from making oil prices fall under $40 in …More
Heavily dependent on Russian gas, the EU has found itself obliged to arbitrate the Russian-Ukranian dispute in order to see its supplies maintained. ++ The difficultly reached agreement under the Czech presidency of the EU, which paves the way for …More
Marek Swierczynski: The EU proved to be indispensable in taming the recent gas dispute between Russia and Ukraine. However, it still lacks the means to stabilize crucial energy supplies and oversee political cohesion to protect its most vulnerable members. …More
The Russia-Ukraine gas supply conflict was heightened following Russia’s decision to further reduce gas supplies as a response to Ukraine “stealing” gas aimed for European clients. ++ Ever since the end of the 2005 Orange …More
We “wanted Russia to be a market economy, but Russia never asked how.” ++ Gazprom is like the East India Company, from which market economies grew. ++ Other sources are unreliable; China, Japan and India look to Russia for gas. ++ …More
Van Jones: It’s time to bailout the American people, the planet and the economy. We need to create millions of new jobs that can’t be outsourced, wean the country off its dependence on foreign oil, take bold steps to address the climate crisis and make America an innovation leader again. …More
Energy independence would be a disaster for America. ++ Not buying oil from despotic regimes will not topple them. ++ If Obama moves towards real energy independence it would mean “$20 per gallon and true depression.” ++ Off-shore …More
Energy independence, a US policy from Nixon to Obama, “is not so much a mistake as it is a muddled concept and a red herring.” ++ Security is the reason for energy independence, yet bans on oil from Saudi Arabia and Venezuela, as with Iran, …More
President-elect Obama has repeatedly stated that he is willing to open talks with Tehran. ++ Obama will continue to contain Iran through multilateral mechanisms as well as greater coordination with Arab allies, should Tehran decide to …More
The largely unknown British oil industry was one of the largest in the world, but is now running dry. ++ The drilling platforms off the shore of Scotland gave Prime Minister Thatcher a one-time economic boost that funded her economic policies. ++ The …More
Sonja Davidovic: Unable to satisfy the energy demand of its heavy industry, which is further augmented by the rising consumption of the emerging middle class, China had to turn to international markets in search for oil and gas assets. …More
OPEC’s decision to cut output by 1.5 million barrels has not stopped oil’s slide. ++ Production cuts could result in an even worse crisis. ++ The energy sector is facing a mini crisis with analysts expecting “global …More
The US Congress has approved a deal that offers India access to American nuclear fuel and technology in exchange for safeguards on India’s nuclear program.++ India considers the US the key to great power status. ++ The US views …More
Efforts to address carbon emissions must be undertaken with exigency. ++ Developing countries like China, India and Brazil are responsible for half of all carbon emissions worldwide; their output has doubled over the past two decades. ++ 8.47 …More
Producing biofuels will further drain “the world’s most valuable, irreplaceable and finite natural resource: fresh water.” ++ For example, 9,000 gal. of water are needed to make just one gal. of diesel fuel; 666 gal. are used daily to …More
Obama’s overall environmental record is shorter, but looks better than McCain’s. ++ Both want to use technology that is not ready and neither plan is as clear as it should be, but Obama wants to move the country away from oil …More
Congress has failed to take any significant steps on an energy policy over the past year; in fact, it appears as if they’re backsliding. ++ “Drill, baby, drill” has become the mantra de jour, as partisan politics have rendered any …More
Oil prices have tripled in the last seven years and if they continue to rise, it may have profound political consequences. ++ Oil-consuming nations shouldn’t become hostages of the oil-producing countries – they must …More
McCain’s campaign is turning everything into a cultural wedge issue - including energy policy. ++ Republicans who favor the exploitation of more and more oil ignore the need for an energy policy that diminishes the US dependence on this …More
Monday, Russia agreed to joint naval exercises with Venezuela and is making its first major maneuvers off US waters since the Cold War. ++ It is not widely recognized, but the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico and the Panama Canal are vital …More
It is no accident that Dick Cheney visited Azerbaijan last week. ++ Azerbaijan is a core east-west transit country for oil and natural gas. ++ Their pipelines provide energy to Europe, support former Soviet republics, and help keep oil money away from …More
While some have argued that the recent summit in Brussels proved ineffective, the Georgia crisis has actually drawn the member states closer together. ++ As Europe proceeds, there are important objectives to keep in mind. ++ Europe must focus on …More
Alexander Ochs: This policy report examines the twin challenges of climate change and energy security for the US and Germany, focusing on the third industrial revolution – the revolution that has to occur to transform our current combustion engine-based societies into an energy-efficient and climate friendly world. …More
Leah McFarland: The EU is competing with other countries for Turkey as an energy transit hub. Giving Turkey membership in the EU would not only enhance the economic and political stability of the country, but would also ensure a much needed energy infrastructure for the EU. …More
Ryan R. Miller: Central European countries are, on balance, divided, not united, when it comes to Russian energy supply dominance. Washington should find ways to step up its involvement and combat both the symptoms of Central Europe’s energy security ‘schism’ as well as the disease itself. …More
The Arctic Circle contains 13 percent of the world’s untapped oil supplies. ++ But a clash of interests between businesses, NGOs, and the five different governments who claim rights to the region’s energy resources is likely to cause a …More
For democracy in Georgia to last, Georgians need to feel we have their backs; the West must impose tough economic and diplomatic sanctions on Russia. ++ This conflict demonstrates impotency of the global security order. ++ The West must show …More
Heinrich Bonnenberg: The need to reduce CO2 emissions, manage price increases, and deal with resource shortages is causing the energy economy to change. Electricity should eventually replace oil and gas. Nuclear power will have to play an increasingly important role in the new electricity economy. …More
Michaele Schreyer and Ralf Fuecks: Current energy crisis poses a significant threat to international economic and political stability. The current make-up of the EU is ill-equipped to deal with this challenge. The Union urgently needs an institutional reform: a European Community for Renewable Energy which would transform its economy into an energy-efficient system. …More
We only have a few decades before world’s oil supplies start to run out and we have to use that time wisely to develop long-term solutions to the world’s energy needs. ++ To achieve that, the world needs a global energy institution …More
The tendency to use cleaner, lower carbon fuels is gathering speed without mandates or subsidies. ++ Indeed, the necessity to adapt infrastructure and emerging economies’ use of whatever their indigenous resources to industrialize means the process …More
Thomas Speckmann: Despite plans for a common foreign and security policy, bilateral agreements still largely prevail in Europe when it comes to energy policy. More than ever before, Europe needs a common energy foreign policy. Without this kind of special-interest politics, Europe will remain a tiger without teeth. …More
Former Vice President Al Gore said that Americans must abandon electricity generated by fossil fuels within a decade. ++ Although his engagement against global warming is well known, Gore argued in this speech that the reasons for …More
Because of climate change and the oil crisis, political leaders are reinforcing nuclear power. ++ Gordon Brown called for “a renaissance of nuclear power” in a “post-oil economy.” ++ Nonetheless, even our language fails when we try to …More
David Francis: Germany is not only comfortable with Russia as an energy partner, it is comfortable with Russia as a strategic partner. This is at odds with the Bush administration, which views Russia with suspicion. Germany’s position has exposed an ideologically divide in Europe. …More
Economists are baffled why higher oil prices and higher demand has not lead to higher production. ++ The answer is: the “China bubble.” ++ Oil producing countries are leaving oil in the ground, in hopes that …More
At current consumption rates, the US will spend over $10 trillion on oil imports over the next 10 years. ++ This will constitute the largest transfer of wealth in human history. ++ The only alternative is homegrown energy. ++ Between …More
A recent Ipsos Mori poll suggests a gradual loss of interest in the issue of climate change. ++ The specter of recession intensifies political pressure to abandon green policies. ++ Governments try to save the economy and the planet at …More
India’s domestic political squabbles are hindering its nuclear program with the US. ++ Afraid that scrupulous international monitoring would undermine India’s traditionally independent foreign policy, the Communist …More
The global energy summit meeting in Jidda (Saudi Arabia) had no easing effect on skyrocketing oil prices. ++ The oil exporting countries did not promise to increase oil output as only Saudi Arabia disposes of free capacities. ++ Yet the major …More
Reducing the West’s dependence on fossil fuels from Russia and the Middle East requires lowering reliance on this type of energy altogether. ++ Many governments are “doing their utmost to increase and subsidize supplies” but this is not …More
Ryan R. Miller: The belief Russia will help the West ease tensions with Iran is wishful thinking. A compliant Iran would be Gazprom’s biggest competitor. Washington should offer the Mullahs EU energy markets in exchange for concessions on the nuclear issue and thus reduce European dependence on Russian energy. …More
Satisfying a UN request, Saudi Arabia has agreed to pump more oil. ++ Not so long ago, the Sheik would not open up the faucet for Bush. ++ The fact that if oil becomes unaffordable, markets will erode and customers will turn to alternatives, is the …More
John McCain intends to subsidize domestic drilling and cut taxes to “free” the US of its dependence on foreign oil. ++ However, the basic rules of microeconomics doom this popular yet cynical energy policy to failure. ++ American …More
In the 80s Ronald Reagan warned Europe about becoming dependent on Russian energy. ++ With Gazprom supplying over 40 percent of Germany’s natural gas, this prediction is becoming a reality. ++ A question for the future, is …More
The 4th China-US Economic Dialogue will be held in the US this week. ++ The US and China can only win when cooperating in the energy and environment sector. ++ Chinese officials state they are working on reducing energy consumption …More
Jens F. Laurson and George A. Pieler: NATO is trying to expand its military wing to more countries, which used to be “the enemy,” in its effort to secure its future. However, Europe’s reliance on imported oil should be considered before alienating exporters like Russia in the attempt of reinventing NATO’s aging alliance. …More
Bush is moving toward helping the Saudis develop a nuclear program under the guise of energy security. ++ Considering that Saudi Arabia bathes in oil and basks in sunlight, something is missing. ++ Adding a counterweight to …More
The future world energy order will have China, India, and Middle Eastern countries rather than OECD countries at its helm. ++ Conventional oil is likely to peak soon, and unconventional oil will then play an important role. ++ Since global oil …More
When “greenies” sing the praise of high oil prices, perhaps they are praying to a false god. ++ Science is yet to produce hard evidence for climate change. ++ Emissions reduction lobbyists are ridden with corruption, and left leaning …More
Sparked by a recent Russian territory claim at the North Pole, a meeting has been called this week in Greenland over the future of the Arctic. ++ In the midst of a decade old rivalry, the US, Canada, Russia, Norway and Denmark have a huge …More
In the current discussion about the response to high fuel prices one point was missed: the world is producing one barrel of oil for every three we consume. ++ Although the price of petrol has increased by 4.7% a year, in real terms the price …More
Michael T. Klare: When the Cold War ended, it was generally assumed that the US would henceforth enjoy unchallenged preponderance. But today, military superiority no longer constitutes the decisive determinant of global paramountcy: energy has acquired unexpectedly vast significance. …More
There are three factors underlying the current rise in oil prices: rising global demand, increased costs for oil producers, and the relatively short time span in which supply has yet to adapt to these increased pressures. ++ Timely and …More
In a series of recent talks, poignantly described as “bad dates,” Russian President Medvedev and Chinese President Hu Jintao were divided on issues concerning missile defense and energy resources. ++ Ready to elide …More
High oil prices are tied to a weak US dollar. ++ The single-currency pricing of the oil market means that in the long run, a weak dollar reduces production while simultaneously increasing consumption. ++ This increase in demand …More
J. F. Laurson & G. A. Pieler: Biofuels may be one of the dumber of the grand, well intentioned ideas of this decade. Yet they are here to stay, not just because of the farm communities in Brazil, Europe, and the US, but because of the Zeitgeist that says source-diversification is the Holy Grail of energy policy. …More
US Federal Reserve officials continue to insist that recent price increases have almost nothing to do with monetary policy. ++ Yet their claim that only global supply and demand for corn and oil are responsible for the soaring of …More
Iran, which is the OPEC’s second’s largest exporter, has enough natural gas to alleviate Western Europe’s uncomfortable reliance on Russia’s energy exports. ++ Disputes over pipelines, political blocking, and …More
China’s recent need for energy resources has accelerated at an alarming rate. ++ US envoy to the Paris-based International Energy Association (IEA), Daniel S. Sullivan, maintains that China and India must join international …More
Richard G. Lugar: We must forge a more productive relationship with Russia. The absence of a collective energy security strategy and the lack of supply diversification will lead to greater fragmentation among European nations and across the Atlantic. …More
Oil prices keep setting records and many believe global oil production will soon peak. ++ American dependence on oil and the habit of driving large, gas-guzzling cars and living in suburbs without public transportation access will develop into a …More
Marek Swierczynski: One year since Poland launched key energy initiative that would decrease Central Europe’s fuel dependence from Russia, its results are less than impressive. But still declarations and documents seem much easier to prepare than pipelines, and soon new ones are to follow. …More
Growing oil prices and diminishing supplies of natural resources increasingly give rise to doubts regarding the long-term stability of an economy that relies on fossil fuels. The underlying assumption of pessimistic analyses based on the “peak …More
Despite hopes for change in the West, the new Russian president is hardly going to initiate a new foreign policy. ++ While Medvedev’s liberal instincts are debatable, the forces arrayed around and against him remained the same. ++ …More
Surprisingly, the US is the world’s third-largest oil producer, with potential to more than double its current output. ++ In addition, all three presidential candidates preach for “energy independence.” ++ So why does the …More
Marek Swierczynski: Greece and Russia signed an agreement to build the southern branch of the South Stream natural gas pipeline. President Putin’s last victory hardens Gazprom’s grip on Europe and makes any energy diversification projects more difficult. Unless the EU looks at the map and acts. …More
David Francis: Why is everyone outside of Germany worried about Nord Stream, while people in Germany seem okay with it? By looking at the United States, it’s apparent that it’s easier to ignore reliance on imported energy than it is to confront the problem. …More
The production of foodstuffs for biofuels was intended to reduce US energy dependency, mitigate climate change, and encourage crop-price stability. ++ Since they have proven highly inefficient, detrimental to the environment, and largely …More
Capitalism and luxury consumption are responsible for the world’s environmental problems, and the emphasis on biofuels has created the global food crisis. ++ The solution is to change economic models, give up excess consumption, …More
Hans-Ulrich Klose: Mistakes have been made on both the Russian and the Western sides. Russia should now be approached as an equal rather than looked down upon or scolded for non-democratic ways. …More
Ryan R. Miller: When major powers meet in Shanghai on April 16th to discuss Iran’s nuclear program, Washington should work with European capitals and leave the door open to greater EU-Iranian energy trade as a potential reward for Iranian good behavior. For post-communist Central Europe, disproportionately exposed to Russia’s energy monopoly, such a strategy could kill two birds with one stone. …More
Andreas Goldthau: The extent to which Russia’s resources are sustaining the country’s growth and influencing its foreign policy tends to be overstated. Having to adapt to domestic and geopolitical circumstances, and the rules of the global market considerably restricts the Kremlin’s room for maneuver. …More
London’s goal to become the first city with streets illuminated by LED’s indicates a promising trend towards green lighting technology. ++ Indian cities should pay more attention to LED lighting. ++ Through LEDs India could “leapfrog the ‘dirty’ phase …More
Memo 5: Members of the Atlantic Community are more concerned about the short term consequences than the potential long term benefits of the current high oil price. …More
Europe needs Russia for its oil and natural gas and Russia needs Europe for revenue from these resources. ++ This reciprocal relationship explains Europe’s opposition to granting Ukraine and Georgia NATO membership. ++ The issue of energy security is one of the few issues where central and eastern European countries agree with the US and are in conflict with Germany and France.
The fear of several analysts that oil prices will rise if Brazil joins OPEC is not justified. ++ This would only happen if all OPEC states cut production by more than the amount Brazil would produce. ++ This is unlikely as OPEC states’ wealth mainly depends on oil revenues. ++ Examples are Venezuela and Saudi-Arabia. ++ History shows that lower prices are the more probable consequence.
Ryan R. Miller: Possible Polish-Iranian energy cooperation puts U.S. policy makers between a rock and a hard place, as America finds itself committed both to isolating the Islamic Republic and supporting Polish efforts to outflank Russia’s Gazprom. …More
Farmers are among the few beneficiaries of skyrocketing global food prices. ++ Governmental subsidies for producing biofuels combined with droughts and a growing demand for animal feed account for the high prices. ++ Food and energy issues are beginning to collide. ++ Speculation accounts for some of the price escalation, but as arable land becomes scarcer, prices are likely to remain high.
“Energy security” has become synonymous with less competition, political vulnerability and erosion of the rule of law. ++ With Dmitri Medvedev acting as both president and chairman of Gazprom, the Kremlin maintains an iron grip on the energy sector. ++ Brussels must demand transparency, restructuring, and market liberalization from Moscow in exchange for access to Europe’s downstream assets.
Ryan R. Miller: Does Chávez succeed in breaking the resource-curse for Venezuela? Can he keep his promise to spark off a revolution on behalf of Venezuela’s poor? And what are the long-term consequences of an oil-based policy for the freedom and security in a country such as Venezuela?
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Christian E. Rieck: A further proliferation of nuclear technology among ambitious middle powers is inevitable. Even though such a cooperation between Iran and Venezuela seems far-fetched at the moment, deepening ties amongst mounting international pressure could create an attractive nuclear possibility for them. …More
EU member states tend to act autonomously in their relations to Russia. ++ Implementation of EU treaty provisions on common security and foreign policy offers new prospects for EU-Russia cooperation and would be conducive to a partnership …More
The US president is leaving a difficult political legacy behind him in the Middle East. The civil war in Iraq is still smoldering, there are threats of complete destabilization in Lebanon and the Gaza strip, and Iran’s plans for …More
On both sides of the Atlantic, foreign policy analysts have convinced politicians that the West faces a severe energy security challenge, stating that energy policy has become high politics, turning energy security into hard security. But, as …More
Thomas Straubhaar: The oil price’s rise towards $100 per barrel is not a cause for concern over economic growth, but has many positive implications for the economy and the climate. …More
Dr. Gvosdev is a frequent commentator on US foreign policy and international relations, Russian and Eurasian affairs, and developments in the Middle East. He is also the author of six books, most recently the co-author of The …More
Russia’s turn away from democracy:
Despite Vladimir Putin’s quest to perpetuate his political influence, Brzezinski warns against perceiving him as an enemy. He emphasizes the need for the United States to discourage the …More
As Egypt declares its intentions to pursue nuclear energy, it joins other thirteen states in the Middle East with the same aim. Iran’s nuclear plans seem to be responsible for this troubling trend, writes Dan Murphy from the Christian Science …More
Christian E. Rieck: Western “rogue state” rhetoric is creating unlikely partnerships among the outcasts of the international community. The unity possible under the rogue state banner provides a welcome chance to mimic international legitimacy, and an opportunity to further erode democracy and consolidate domestic power—without Western admonitions to the contrary. …More
Background
The Energy Watch Group (EWG) initiated by German MP Hans-Josef Fell, is a group of independent scientists and experts who investigate sustainable concepts for global energy supply. The experts at EWG use …More
Transportation of energy resources was top of the agenda during a recent talk between the presidents of Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, reports News Central Asia. Presidents Nazarbaev and Berdymuhamedov said their countries …More
FP lists the top most valuable disputed turfs that might just be worth a fight. The world was astonished by Russia’s recent claim to the arctic shelf, with potential for billions of dollars worth of oil …More
In July, the US Department of State announced a new arms deal for the Middle East that included $20 billion for the Saudis, ostensibly to promote stability in the region. Condoleezza Rice and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, who rarely travel …More
F. William Engdahl: I take a critical look at last week’s Five Principles For US Energy Security from Stuart Butler and Kim Holmes. My counterproposals emphasize environmental and fiscal concerns, as well as historical perspective. …More
Stuart M. Butler: and Kim R. Holmes of the Heritage Foundation: We argue that US energy security demands a free market. Policy makers should encourage global economic participation by American businesses, trade with free democratic regimes, and diversification of fuel sources. …More
Alexandros Petersen: Russia’s recent Cold War-esque behavior is a wake-up call for the transatlantic alliance to overcome internal divisions and strengthen energy routes from the Caspian and Central Asia. …More
International disputes over West African oil — which represents about 10% of the world’s reserves — have been intensified by its easy accessibility, reports Stephanie Hanson of the Council of Foreign Relations. …More
Heiko Borchert and Karina Forster: Energy infrastructure security requires a serious military commitment. The EU should pool resources with NATO through joint research in security and technology, military cooperation with key energy partners such as Africa, and mutual education through exchange of lessons learned. …More
The looming Russian gas deficits demand a readjustment of the European energy policy, argue Alan Riley and Frank Umbach in the current global edition of Internationale Politik. Riley, a fellow at the Centre for European Policy Studies in …More
Heiko Borchert and Karina Forster : We see hard power as integral to the preservation of energy infrastructure. EU-NATO cooperation is therefore key to preserving this vital element of energy security. …More
Higher engagement of the EU and the USA in the Black Sea zone could limit European dependence on Russian energy and bring stability to the region, writes Ronald D. Asmus of the German Marshall Fund of the United States. The Atlantic …More
In 2006, Russia cut off gas supplies to Ukraine and Georgia, indicating that Moscow is prepared to use energy resources to exert political power over Europe. Keith C. Smith of CSIS writes that, though European leaders initially showed …More
Engagement in the Caspian region is an effective way to improve transatlantic cooperation, says Richard Morningstar. As the current US Special Representative for the Caspian Region, Morningstar …More
Chatham House researchers John Mitchell and Glada Lahn advise that although production abroad by Asian national oil companies (ANOCs) is small right now, its relevance to global energy security could change if …More
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