China's Energy Security and Relations with Petrostates : Oil as an Idea by
This book examines the development of bilateral energy relations between China and the two oil-rich countries, Kazakhstan and Russia. Challenging conventional assumptions about energy politics and China's global quest for oil, this book examines the interplay of politics and sociocultural contexts. It shows how energy resources become ideas and how these ideas are mobilised in the realm of international relations. China's relations with Kazakhstan and Russia are simultaneously enabled and constrained by the discursive politics of oil, whereas China's external energy strategy is crucially dependent on its domestic discursive politics of oil. It is argued that to build collaborative and constructive energy relations with China, its partners in Kazakhstan, Russia, and elsewhere must consider not only the material realities of China's energy industry and institutional settings of China's energy policy but also the multiple symbolic meanings that energy resources acquire in China. This book offers a nuanced understanding of China's bilateral energy relations with Kazakhstan and Russia, raising essential questions about the social logic of international energy politics.
Global Energy Politics by
Ever since the Industrial Revolution, energy has been a key driver of world politics. From the oil crises of the 1970s to today's rapid expansion of renewable energy sources, every shift in global energy patterns has had important repercussions for international relations. The authors uncover here the intricate ways in which our energy systems have shaped global outcomes in four key areas of world politics : security, the economy, the environment, and global justice. Moving beyond the narrow geopolitical focus that has dominated much of the discussion on global energy politics, they also deftly trace the connections between energy and democracy, environmental politics, and community activism. The authors argue that we are on the cusp of a global energy shift that promises to be no less transformative for the pursuit of wealth and power in world politics than the historical shifts from wood to coal and from coal to oil. This ongoing energy transformation will not only upend the global balance of power, but could also fundamentally transfer political authority away from the nation-state, empowering citizens, regions, and local communities.
The Nordic Dimension of Energy Security by
This book shows that when some countries begin using oil and gas as an instrument of exerting pressure and to realize political goals, energy security becomes synonymous with national security as well as economic security. It is within this context that the Nordic countries serve as role models and an exemplification of modern, innovative and ecofriendly solutions. This book highlights that the Nordic countries represent a very broad spectrum of competencies and techniques in the field of making use of various energy sources, which basically exhausts all the possible and currently available possibilities.
Russia's Energy Policy : Dependence, Networks and Special Relationships by
NATO Defence College (IT)
This Research Paper has two central questions. First, is Russia using natural gas as an instrument of power to influence NATO member states in Europe ? Second, if so, then how is it being used to influence their foreign and domestic policies ? For NATO, this is an important question because energy supply disruptions can cripple not only military mobility and operations, but also the economic well-being of member states. While a strong economy is not solely dependent on natural resources, without access to them, the industries and economies that support the military are left vulnerable. Under the right conditions, severing access to (or manipulating the cost of) vital natural resources can have significant economic, social, political and even national security consequences. For NATO, this was clearly demonstrated by the oil crises in the 1970s. The notion that nation states, if given the opportunity, will use economic statecraft to address defense and security disputes is not new. But understanding how petrostates, such as Russia, leverage their neighbors’ energy needs for political ends is still a developing topic. Understanding the subtle intricacies of this issue is needed in order to: 1) moderate growing disagreements among Allies and Partner Nations in regard to Russia-NATO relations; and 2) avoid the perception that the Allies no longer share a common vision for the Euro-Atlantic security community.
The Geopolitics of the Global Energy Transition by
The world is currently undergoing an historic energy transition, driven by increasingly stringent decarbonisation policies and rapid advances in low-carbon technologies. The large-scale shift to low-carbon energy is disrupting the global energy system, impacting whole economies, and changing the political dynamics within and between countries. This book examines the economic and geopolitical implications of the global energy transition, from both regional and thematic perspectives. The first part of the book addresses the geopolitical implications in the world's main energy-producing and energy-consuming regions, while the second presents in-depth case studies on selected issues, ranging from the geopolitics of renewable energy, to the mineral foundations of the global energy transformation, to governance issues in connection with the changing global energy order.
Does Energy Cause Ethnic War ? : East Mediterranean and Caspian Sea Natural Gas and Regional Conflicts by
The Caspian Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean are two regions with abundant energy resources. Their gas routes to Europe intersect and actors, exporters, pipeline owners and operators, transit states and downstream customers are connected to one another in a web of political and economic interdependencies. More significantly, these regions have been plagued by deep-seated ethnic conflicts and disputes : namely, the two oldest registered in the United Nations (the Cyprus and the Arab-Israeli conflicts), the Nagorno-Karabakh problem, the Syria War and numerous tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Caspian Sea and the Balkan regions. This book investigates what impact these energy resources have had on the respective conflicts and disputes, as well as their influence on the power game between the EU and Russia.
EU-Russia Energy Relations : A Discursive Approach by
This book explores the timely topic of energy security and international relations between the European Union and the Russian Federation. Pursuing a constructivist-discursive approach, it empirically analyses a corpus of energy discourses involving policymakers and representatives of the EU and the Russian Federation. Exploring various discursive meanings assigned to the material and technical character of EU-Russian energy relations, the monograph underscores how the identities and interests of both parties are strongly affected by the norms and values which frame the individual energy discourses.
Understanding Energy Security in Central and Eastern Europe : Russia, Transition and National Interest by
The purpose of this book is to move beyond the approach which views energy as a purely geopolitical tool of the Russian state and assumes a 'one size fits all' approach to energy security in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). It argues that in order to fully understand Russian involvement in the regional energy complex, the CEE-Russian energy relationship should be analysed in the context of the political and economic transitions that Russia and the CEE states underwent. The chapters on individual countries in the book demonstrate that, although Russia has and will continue to play a substantial role in the CEE energy sector, the scope of its possible influence has been overstated.
Energy Policy and Security under Climate Change by
This book analyses the trilemma between growth, energy security and climate change mitigation and, breaking from scholarly orthodoxy, challenges the imperative that growth must always come first. It sets forth the argument that a steady-state approach is a more appropriate conceptual mindset to enable energy transition, sets out a steady-state energy policy, and assesses the projected outcomes of its implementation in the realms of energy security, geopolitics and development. By exploring in depth the implications of such a shift, the book aims to demonstrate its positive effects on sustainability, supply security and affordability; to showcase the more favorable geopolitics of renewable energy; and to unpack new pathways towards development. By bringing together ecological economics and mainstream energy politics, fresh insight to energy and climate policy is provided, alongside their broader geopolitical and developmental ramifications.
Cultural Perspectives, Geopolitics & Energy Security of Eurasia : Is the Next Global Conflict Imminent ? by 
Energy Security by
This book offers a new and comprehensive approach to understanding energy security. Drawing on the latest research in security studies, the author treats energy security as a value that is continually in dynamic conflict with other core values, such as economic prosperity and sustainability. The different physical properties of the key energy resources - coal, oil, gas, nuclear and renewables - are of course critical for the differing manifestations of energy insecurity. But it is the social, economic and political contexts, developed over time and place, which are essential for a fuller appreciation of contemporary energy challenges.
Fuels Paradise : Seeking Energy Security in Europe, Japan, and the United States by
This book examines how five major developed democracies - Britain, France, Germany, Japan, and the United States - have sought to enhance their energy security since the oil shocks of the 1970s and in response to the more diverse set of challenges of the early twenty-first century. Drawing on a vast range of primary and secondary sources, the author explains the actions taken - and not taken - by these countries to address their energy security concerns. Throughout the book, he argues that state strength and policy legacies are essential for understanding national responses to energy insecurity. In addition to identifying feasible energy policies and the constraints faced by policy makers, he evaluates the prospects for international cooperation to promote energy security and considers the implications of recent advances in the production and distribution of energy, particularly the fracking revolution.
The Hour of Truth: The Conflict in Ukraine–Implications for Europe’s Energy Security and the Lessons for the U.S. Army by New Realities : Energy Security in the 2010s and Implications for the U.S. Military by
US Army War College. Strategic Studies Institute (US)
Revolutionary changes among energy producers and dramatically altered patterns of energy consumption across the planet are having profound implications for American national security in general and the U.S. Army specifically. The U.S. Army War College gathered experts from the policymaking community, academia, think tanks, the private sector, and the military services at the Reserve Officers Association in Washington, DC, in November 2013 to address first the major 'new realities,' both geographically and technologically, and then the specific military implications. The chapters of this compendium are based on the presentations delivered at that conference, which was funded through the generous support of the U.S. Army War College Foundation.
The Risk Pivot : Great Powers, International Security, and the Energy Revolution by
It is impossible to separate struggles over energy from modern security relations, the global economy, or international development. For seven decades, an 'oil for security' deal between the US and the Persian Gulf has been at the core of international stability. Now we are at a moment of geopolitical flux : the rising Asian powers, India and China, are increasingly dependent on Middle East oil and gas, while Russia is seeking a new energy partnership with China; an energy revolution across the Americas is shifting the center of gravity of global energy markets; the energy demands of the rising global middle class pose acute challenges to governance and to development; the US role in securing energy flows from the Middle East is in question. All this amounts to a 'risk pivot' in international security.
Regionalizing East Mediterranean Gas: Energy Security, Stability, and the U.S. Role by 
Russian Energy and Security up To 2030 by
The challenges in Russia's energy sector are changing. On the demand side, Europe is seeking to limit its dependence on Russian oil and gas, with the result that China and other Asian countries are likely to eventually become growing export markets for Russian energy. On the supply side, oil and gas fields in West Siberia are diminishing and in future Russia's energy will have to come more from East Siberia and the Arctic, which will necessitate new infrastructure development and the employment of advanced technologies, which may increase Russia's dependence on commercial partners from outside Russia. This book explores the challenges facing Russia's energy sector and the resulting security implications. It includes a discussion of how far the Russian state is likely to continue to monopolize the energy sector, and how far competition from private and foreign companies might be allowed.
The Politics of Energy Dependency : Ukraine, Belarus, and Lithuania between Domestic Oligarchs and Russian Pressure by
Energy has been an important element in Moscow's quest to exert power and influence in its surrounding areas both before and after the collapse of the USSR. With their political independence in 1991, Ukraine, Belarus, and Lithuania also became, virtually overnight, separate energy-poor entities heavily dependent on Russia. This increasingly costly dependency - and elites' scrambling over associated profits - came to crucially affect not only relations with Russia but the very nature of post-independence state building. This book explores why these states were unable to move towards energy diversification. Through extensive field research using previously untapped local-language sources, the author reveals a complex picture of local elites dealing with the complications of energy dependency and, in the process, affecting the energy security of Europe as a whole.
Russian Energy in a Changing World : What Is the Outlook for the Hydrocarbons Superpower ? by
For a long time Russia's position as a key global energy player has enhanced Moscow's international economic and political influence whilst causing concern amongst other states fearful of becoming too dependent on Russia as an energy supplier. The global financial crisis shook this established image of Russia as an indispensable energy superpower, immune to negative external influences and revealed the full extent of Russia's dependence on oil and gas for economic and political influence. This led to calls from within the country for a new approach where energy resources were no longer regarded wholly as an asset, but also a potential curse resulting in an over reliance on one sector thwarting modernization of the economy and the country as a whole. In this timely volume, leading Russian and Western scholars examine various aspects of Russian energy policy and the opportunities and constraints that influence the choices made by the country's energy decision makers. Contributors focus on Russia's energy relations with the rest of the world alongside internal debates about the need for diversification and modernization in a changing economy, country and world system where overdependence on energy commodities has become a key concern for customer and supplier alike.
Strategies et geopolitiques russes des hydrocarbures : un defi pour l'Europe by
La doxa voulait, un temps, que les dirigeants russes pratiquent une politique energetique tendue vers la seule valorisation des immenses ressources du pays. Depuis, les crises qui ont oppose la Russie a ses voisins ont mis au jour une logique de puissance irreductible a la simple rationalite economique. Les exportations energetiques sont un outil de pouvoir pour retablir les positions de cet Etat-continent dans l'aire post-sovietique. Au-dela, il s'agit de reconstituer la puissance russe pour peser en Europe et dans les equilibres mondiaux. La chose ne peut laisser indifferent son voisinage, proche et lointain.
Energy Security in the Wider Black Sea Area by
The need for reliable energy supplies continues to increase with global development, and so energy security seems certain to remain a global challenge for the foreseeable future. The Black Sea area is now a major producer of energy for the wider region and beyond. This book presents the 12 papers delivered at the NATO Advanced Research Workshop (ARW) Energy Security in the Wider Black Sear Area - National and Allied Approaches, held in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, in November 2011. The workshop, which was attended by a balanced mix of international experts, focused on research concerning crucial aspects of energy security and the role of NATO, and covered issues such as energy security as part of national security concepts, transnational energy projects in Central and Eastern Europe and the Wider Black Sea area, national approaches to energy security, critical infrastructure aspects of energy security, scientific and industry support for establishing sustainability and alternatives in energy security.
L'enjeu énergétique dans les Balkans : stratégie russe et sécurité européenne by
Avec l'effondrement du communisme qui a provoque la rupture des equilibres issus du bipolarisme militaire de la guerre froide, la mutation du monde economique a, entre autres bouleversements, initie un nouveau rapport de force. Au point qu'un nouveau 'Grand jeu' se deroule avec, cette fois, pour toile de fond l'approvisionnement energetique de toute une partie de l'Europe. C'est ce nouveau 'Grand jeu' que l'auteur nous decrit ici de facon magistrale avec la double expertise qui est la sienne : celle d'une specialiste de l'energie et d'une experte des Balkans. C'est que les Balkans representent pour la Russie un enjeu essentiel : les exportations d'hydrocarbures constituent une source majeure de revenus en meme temps qu'un excellent instrument d'influence geopolitique. Les positions qu'elle a acquise dans le domaine de l'energie, ainsi que le projet du gazoduc South Stream, doivent l'aider a contrecarrer les mesures prises par l'Union europeenne pour diversifer ses approvisionnements, principalement gaziers. L'Union europeenne veut echapper a une forme de dependance envers Moscou; une dependance qui pese notamment sur certains pays de l'ancien bloc de l'Est, alimentant des tensions a repetition. Outre l'elaboration de cinq projets concurrentiels de gazoducs du Corridor du Sud, l'Union europeenne a mis en place avec les pays de l'Europe du Sud-Est une 'Communaute de l'energie'. Pour les differentes nations des Balkans, l'avenir geopolitique et energetique decrit par l'auteur est egalement passionnant. Ou bien ils se tourneront vers l'Union europeenne, ou bien vers la Russie, pensera-t-on en general. Mais l'auteur laisse entrevoir une troisieme hypothese : ils feront les deux et la Russie, par le biais de l'energie et grace a South Stream, se retrouverait en quelque sorte 'membre honoraire' de l'Union europeenne.
Promoting International Energy Security. Volume 1 : Understanding Potential Air Force Roles by 
Promoting International Energy Securit. Volume 2 : Turkey and the Caspian
Promoting International Energy Security. Volume 3 : Sea-Lanes to Asia
Promoting International Energy Security. Volume 4 : The Gulf of Guinea
Energy Security : An Interdisciplinary Approach by
This book is split into four parts. Part I introduces the reader to the topic of energy security by providing a theoretical framework. It addresses climate change and gives a balanced view of both producers' and consumers' perspectives. Part II addresses energy security from consuming countries' perspective. There are chapters dedicated to the United States, the European Union, China, India, and Japan. Each examines the diversification of energy mix and energy sources, public institutions in charge of governing energy issues, and laws and other legislations that promote energy security and protect the environment. The next chapter focuses on the role the International Energy Agency has played in coordinating policy between nations. Part III addresses energy security from producing nations' perspective. Chapters cover the Middle East, Africa, Russia, and the Caspian Sea. These examine how producing regions seek to secure a steady income and stable revenues. This section also discusses national oil companies and their cooperation/confrontation with international companies. The last chapter in this section focuses on the role the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) plays in promoting cooperation among major oil producers. The concluding chapter addresses the joint efforts by consumers and producers to stabilize global energy markets and the different forums to promote such cooperation (i.e. International Energy Forum). The chapter also provides a summary of the main findings of the study (i.e. the similarities and differences between the case-studies). Part IV concludes the book with a section on international energy outlook and information on the International Energy Forum.
Russian Energy Security and Foreign Policy by
This book provides an original and thoroughly academic analysis of the link between Russian energy and foreign policies in Eurasia, as well as offering an interpretation of Russia's coherence on the international stage, seeking to understand Russia and explain its behaviour. The authors analyse both energy and foreign policies together, in order to better grasp their correlation and gain deeper understanding of broader geopolitical issues in Eurasia at a time when things could go either way - towards producers or towards consumers. Questioning the concept of 'energy deterrence' which aims to fuel uncertainty in Russia's relations with its partners, as well as projecting its overall power on the international scene, this provocative volume seeks to stimulate debate on this very important issue.
The Routledge Handbook of Energy Security by
This handbook examines the subject of energy security : its definition, dimensions, ways to measure and index it, and the complicating factors that are often overlooked. The volume identifies varying definitions and dimensions of energy security, including those that prioritize security of supply and affordability alongside those that emphasize availability, energy efficiency, trade, environmental quality, and social and political stewardship. It also explores the various metrics that can be used to give energy security more coherence, and also to enable it to be quantified, including recent attempts to measure energy security progress at the national level, with a special emphasis placed on countries within the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries within Asia, and industrialized countries worldwide.
Energy Security : International and Local Issues, Theoretical Perspectives, and Critical Energy Infastructures by
In terms of energy security the Black Sea region is important to Europe. Inevitably and for very good reasons, a lot of attention has been given to the existing and planned pipeline routes going around or across the Black Sea. Much less attention has been given to the development of the Black Sea energy market in its own right and to the potential advantages of coping with some current and future energy issues in a multilateral regional format rather than through individual action at national level. The present book addresses, in a comprehensive manner, the current problematic of energy security and goes beyond pipeline politics, without playing down their continued significance; it addresses some topical questions related to the sustainability and resilience of energy systems as applicable to the Black Sea region.
European Energy Security : Turkey's Future Role and Impact by
This book identifies the EU's main energy security challenges and looks at Turkey's possible role in this policy area. By investigating the role of Turkey as a westward transit hub for hydrocarbons from the Greater Caspian region, Middle East and North Africa, the author explores European and Turkish energy profiles. In doing so, he looks at the connection between geopolitics and energy security; the relationship between oil and natural gas resources and geography; and the importance of the concept of energy security and the role of energy in foreign policy and international relations. Accordingly, the aim of the book is to determine what the challenges are to the future of Europe's energy security.
Energy Security : Economics, Politics, Strategies, and Implications by
Energy security has become a rallying cry in recent years, especially in the wake of increased terrorist threats in the Middle East and elsewhere. But what does the term 'energy security' really mean ? For many, it is ensuring the safe supply and transport of energy as a matter of national security. For others, it is developing and moving towards sustainable, low-carbon energy sources to avoid environmental catastrophe. Still others view it as increasing oil drilling to achieve independence from foreign markets and ensure affordability. Yet the fact remains that the vast majority of global energy production still comes from fossil fuels, and it will take a thorough understanding of the interrelationships of complex challenges - finite supply, environmental concerns, political conflict, and economic volatility - to develop policies that will lead to true energy security. This volume presents a realistic, cross-disciplinary look by recognized authorities at the global quest for energy security.
Energy Options Impact on Regional Security by
This book addresses energy-related issues in light of the options available to the European and Mediterranean countries. The articles attempt to identify and analyse the economic, environmental, societal and regional security issues that may emerge from those options. It is clear that a coherent energy strategy is required, addressing energy supply and demand, security of access, financial issues, market dynamics, and also taking into account the whole energy lifecycle including fuel production, transmission and distribution. In the short term, the aim should be to achieve higher energy efficiencies and increased supply from local energy sources, in particular renewable energy sources. In the long term, redesign of life styles, further increase of alternative energy sources and shift to new energy technologies and carriers is expected to contribute to solve or alleviate the problems generated by declining availability of fossil fuels. In this volume, energy experts provide background information and a detailed discussion of all these issues and strategies.
Chinese Energy Security : The Myth of the PLAN's Frontline Status by
US Army War College. Strategic Studies Institute (US)
A key aim of this work is to demonstrate that the greatest threat to Chinese energy security is domestic market inefficiencies and perverse incentive structures, thus clearly highlighting the 'myth' of the PLAN (People's Liberation Army Navy) frontline status. As the Sino-US relationship continues to assume greater strategic importance, energy security is a component that Washington and Beijing can simply not afford to get wrong. As opposed to dedicating substantial resources to planning for conflict scenarios that are based upon fundamentally flawed conceptions, namely, naval blockades designed to starve China of energy resources or strategies to preempt or circumvent one of these blockades, both parties would be much better served by focusing on sound economics and distribution/refining practices. Cooperation in this sphere is not only a much more immediate and realistic option; it also deals with the root of the dilemma, something which is clearly in the interests of the United States as well as China.