The Deepening Crisis of Europe’s Climate Policy
EUCERS Newsletter No. 13, 14.05.2012
Climate policy is no longer a big item on the EU’s agenda and the climate mania is gradually coming to an end after almost 20 years. Poland is vigorously blocking any new CO2 emission targets at EU level. There is growing support among Eastern European governments to block any new unilateral climate targets permanently. Benny Peiser, Director of the Global Warming Policy Foundation, argues that as a result of the deadlock in Brussels, climate and green energy policies are facing a severe and deepening crisis and that there is a growing risk that the EU’s unilateral strategy is hampering the economic recovery and, consequently, the future of European competitiveness.
The Beginning and the End of the Oil Curse? - by Prof Dr Michael Ross, UCLA
Why does oil wealth so often become a curse for developing states? In the developing world, oil-producing states are fifty percent more likely to be ruled by autocrats, and more than twice as likely to have civil wars, as non-oil states. They are also more secretive, more financially volatile, and provide women with fewer economic and political opportunities. For the last 30 years, good geology has led to bad politics. In this article, Dr Michael Ross, Professor of Political Science at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), summarizes the talk he gave at King’s College London on his recently published book, The Oil Curse, which describes an array of strategies to alter the size, source, stability, and secrecy of oil revenues.
Iran Sanctions: Right Intent, Wrong Approach
European Energy Review, 16. 02. 2012
While the oil boycott the US and EU have instituted against Iran is understandable, in view of the repulsive nature of the Iranian regime, it will end up hurting the West rather than the rulers in Tehran, argues Friedbert Pflüger, Director of the European Centre for Energy and Resource Security (EUCERS) at King’s College London. According to Pflüger, the West should deal with Iran the way it dealt with the Soviet Union during the Cold War: with a policy of containment and cooperation, particularly in the energy sector. “While the dangers and malicious character of the ruling regime should not be watered down, stronger economic cooperation, like for instance the ‘gas for pipes’ deal in 1970 between Germany and Russia, should be pursued.”
Iran Sanctions: Right Intent, Wrong Approach
European Energy Review, 16. 02. 2012
While the oil boycott the US and EU have instituted against Iran is understandable, in view of the repulsive nature of the Iranian regime, it will end up hurting the West rather than the rulers in Tehran, argues Friedbert Pflüger, Director of the European Centre for Energy and Resource Security (EUCERS) at King’s College London. According to Pflüger, the West should deal with Iran the way it dealt with the Soviet Union during the Cold War: with a policy of containment and cooperation, particularly in the energy sector. “While the dangers and malicious character of the ruling regime should not be watered down, stronger economic cooperation, like for instance the ‘gas for pipes’ deal in 1970 between Germany and Russia, should be pursued.”
Die Politik bremst die Energiewende
Handelsblatt, 19.01.2012
The Southern Gas Corridor: Reaching the Home Stretch
European Energy Review, 12. Januar 2012
The lengthy speculation about the so-called Southern Gas Corridor, the seemingly endless discussions about various pipeline concepts, and their geopolitical meaning and economic feasibility will soon come to an end. The different projects have numerous stakeholders including transit governments, gas buyers, transportation companies and their shareholders and, last but not least, international financial institutions, as some of the segments will likely be project-financed. Given the strong need for alignment, coordination and planning security, combined with the availability of 10 billion cubic meters (bcm) of Shah Deniz Phase II gas which will need to come on stream 2018-20, there is no scope left for yet further speculation. When taking all the pro and contra arguments of the specific pipeline projects downstream of Turkey into consideration, the most likely winner, at least for the time being, will not be Nabucco, the Interconnector Turkey-Greece-Italy (ITGI), or South Stream (the alleged Southern Gas Corridor ‘spoiler’); rather, it will most likely be the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP).
The Southern Gas Corridor: Reaching the Home Stretch
European Energy Review, 12 January 2012
The lengthy speculation about the so-called Southern Gas Corridor, the seemingly endless discussions about various pipeline concepts, and their geopolitical meaning and economic feasibility will soon come to an end. The different projects have numerous stakeholders including transit governments, gas buyers, transportation companies and their shareholders and, last but not least, international financial institutions, as some of the segments will likely be project-financed. Given the strong need for alignment, coordination and planning security, combined with the availability of 10 billion cubic meters (bcm) of Shah Deniz Phase II gas which will need to come on stream 2018-20, there is no scope left for yet further speculation. When taking all the pro and contra arguments of the specific pipeline projects downstream of Turkey into consideration, the most likely winner, at least for the time being, will not be Nabucco, the Interconnector Turkey-Greece-Italy (ITGI), or South Stream (the alleged Southern Gas Corridor ‘spoiler’); rather, it will most likely be the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP).
Der Südliche Korridor: Stunde der Entscheidung
Energlobe, 16. Januar 2012
Die scheinbar endlose Debatte über den Südlichen Korridor ist auf der Zielgeraden. Es wird in diesem Frühjahr entschieden, nicht etwa, weil das Machtspiel der letzten Jahre durch geostrategische Entscheidungen der Politik beendet wurde, sondern weil aktuelle ökonomische Fakten eine rasche Entscheidung erfordern. Es muss konkrete Planungssicherheit geschaffen werden, damit 2018-20 die 10 Milliarden Kubikmeter (bcm) Gas der zweiten Phase der Entwicklung des Shah-Deniz-Feldes ihren Käufer finden können. Voraussichtlich werden weder Nabucco, noch die Pipeline Türkei-Griechenland-Italien (ITGI-Poseidon) am Ende realisiert, vielmehr heißt der Favorit: Trans-Adriatic-Pipeline (TAP).
Von der Krise zur Chance- Energieversorgung im Post-Fukushima Japan
In Erich G. Fritz (Hg.)
Zeitenwende in Japan, Athena Verlag 2011
„Fukushima“ – Dieses Wort steht für weit mehr als das verheerende Erdbeben am 11. März 2011 vor der japanischen Ostküste. Es steht auch für mehr als die schrecklichen Bilder Zehntausender Toter, Verletzter und Vertriebener. Seit der live in alle Welt übertragenen Kernschmelze im Kraftwerk Fukushima-Daiichi steht „Fukushima“ vor allem auch für den Moment, der wie kein anderer seit dem apokalyptisch anmutenden Reaktorunglück von Tschernobyl 1986 die moralische Frage nach der Verantwortbarkeit der Atomenergie stellte. Schon heute wird von einer Ära vor und nach „Fukushima“ gesprochen. Der Tag des Unglückes wird in Anlehnung an „9/11“ bereits als „3/11“ bezeichnet.
