Climate Change and Energy Insecurity

Climate change is now recognised 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 analyses 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 analyses 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.

Felix Dodds is the Executive Director of Stakeholder Forum for a Sustainable Future. He has been active at the UN since 1990 attending the World Summits Rio, Habitat II, Rio+5, Beijing+5, Copenhagen+5, World Summit on Sustainable Development, World Summit 2005. He has also been to all the UN Commissions for Sustainable Development and UNEP Governing Council.

Andrew Higham is a leading Australian advisor in sustainability, climate change, marine and water policy. He co-authored the Western Australian State Sustainability Strategy and 1998 State of the Environment Report, and has led or contributed to a wide range of Government policies, strategies, taskforces and reports.

Richard Sherman serves as the Programme Manager for IISD RS's Africa Regional Coverage Project. He was a former team leader and writer from 2002-2005. In addition, Richard works as a consultant to Stakeholder Forum for a Sustainable Future and the South African Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism with a particular focus on institutional reform and global governance.