Climate Change and Energy Insecurity

by Dodds, Felix; Higham, Andrew; Sherman, Richard; Steiner, Achim

• ISBN13: 9781844078554
• ISBN10: 1844078558
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2009-11-30
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

Climate change is now recognized as one of the greatest challenges facing the international community and when coupled with energy production and use'the most significant contributor to climate change'and the related security problems the double threat to international security and human development is of the highest order. This wide-ranging book brings together leading thinkers from academia, government and civil society to examine and address the global insecurity and development challenges arising from the twin thrust of climate change and the energy supply crunch. Part One considers energy. It analyzes the challenges of meeting future energy demands and the ongoing and future security-related conflicts over energy. Coverage includes security and development concerns related to the oil and gas, nuclear, bio-fuels and hydropower sectors, ensuring energy access for all and addressing sustainable consumption and production in both developed and rapidly industrializing countries such as India, China, Brazil and South Africa. Part Two analyzes how climate change contributes to global insecurity and presents a consolidated overview of the potential threats and challenges it poses to international peace and development. Coverage includes future water scenarios including a focus on scarcity in the Middle East, food security, biodiversity loss, land degradation, the changing economics of climate change, adaptation and the special case of small island states. The final part lays out the potential avenues and mechanisms available to the international community to address and avert climate and energy instability via the multilateral framework under the United Nations. It also addresses mechanisms for resource and knowledge transfer from industrialized to developing countries to ensure a low-carbon energy transition by focusing on the rapid deployment of clean energy technologies and ways to tackle income and employment insecurity created by the transition away from traditional energy sources. This book offers the most comprehensive international assessment of the challenges and solutions for tackling the global insecurity arising from climate change and energy provision and use. It is essential reading for students, researchers and professionals across international relations, security, climate change and the energy sectors.

Author Biography

Felix Dodds is the Executive Director of Stakeholder Forum for a Sustainable Future. Andrew Higham is a leading Australian adviser in sustainability, climate change, marine and water policy. Richard Sherman serves as the Programme Manager for IISD RS's Africa Regional Coverage Project.

Table of Contents

List of Figures, Tables and Boxes	p. viii
List of Contributors	p. x
Foreword	p. xxii
Preface: Tomorrow Is Today	p. xxiv
List of Acronyms, Abbreviations and Other Special Terms	p. xxviii
Energy Insecurity: Challenges to Future Energy Stability
The Challenge of Climate Change from a Developing Country	p. 1
Energy Consumption Challenge of the Industrialized World: An Overview of German Climate Policy	p. 9
Oil: How Can Europe Kick the Habit of Dependence?	p. 18
The Nuclear Option	p. 25
Bioenergy: Neither Golden Solution nor Prescription for Disaster	p. 35
Localized Energy Conflicts in the Oil Sector	p. 46
Climate Insecurity: A Challenge to Peace, Security and Development
Creating a Climate of Security: The Latest Science and Acceptable Risk	p. 61
Climate of Fear: Environment, Migration and Security	p. 71
Changing Economics	p. 80
Water Scenarios: 'The Unpredictable Flow'	p. 92
Handling or not Handling the Food Crisis	p. 105
Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss: The Great New Threats to Peace, Security and Development	p. 110
Climate Change: A New Threat to Middle East Security	p. 116
At the Water's Edge: Climate Justice, Small Islands and Sustainable Development	p. 127
Governing Climate and Energy Instability: Avenues for Preventative Diplomacy
Climate Risks and Insecurities	p. 141
A Multilateral System for Climate and Energy Security: What Roles for Existing Institutions?	p. 152
Who Decides? The Role of the United Nations and Security Council in Addressing Climate and Energy Insecurity	p. 170
Financing the Low-Carbon Transition in Developing Countries: The Role of Multilateral Development Banks	p. 178
European Union Response to the Challenge	p. 193
Sub-National Climate Change Action Model for the World	p. 198
A Green New Deal: Poverty Reduction and Economic Stability in a Carbon-Constrained World	p. 208
Energy, Climate Change and Human Security: The Trade Union Challenge	p. 219
What is a Credible Corporate Response to Climate Change?	p. 231
Taking Action: Financing a Climate Change Technology Revolution	p. 246
Index	p. 270
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