The definitive work on all things ¡®Energy¡¯ [September Thematic Report (Energy Security)]by Tuvimanyu Gautam | 26-09-2023 13:47 |
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 Did ¡®Energy Security¡¯ always exist in the mindscapes of governments all over the world or is it a contemporary invention? How was the pre-oil boom era ? Has Industrial Revolution triggered the energy crisis or it is the energy hunger which is driving industrial innovations? Which countries have been able to tame the energy sufficiency mirage ? The questions related to Energy, which is the driving force of the wheels of economy, are many. If you are an avid reader yearning to know more about the past, present and future of this issue, Daniel Yergin¡¯s ¡®The Quest¡¯ (2011) offers a lucid journey on the energy train. The concept of Energy Security gained currency after the World War II, as it became apparent that any interruption caused by a crisis can bring the world to a standstill, not due to the immediate involvement of nations but through the disruption it causes in the energy supplies. In the post-World War II era, the forces of economics and geopolitics have shaped the global energy production. As it is this energy production, or the conventional energy production which is closely tied with the climate change, the 21 st century ¡®Energy Security¡¯ discussion hovers around three important ingredients: economics-geopolitics-environm It is the interplay between these three players that Daniel Yergin¡¯s book ¡®The Quest-Energy, Security, and the Remaking of the Modern World¡¯ explores. The book begins by delving into the history of energy, right from the time of discovery of ¡®black gold¡¯ fields in various geographical belts to the ways it began to be explored and transported, to the present era of trying to fix up the climate change concerns through a mix of renewable energy sources. The best facet of the book is that as Yergin takes the reader on a journey through the various eras, he introduces the reader to the many personalities that shaped the energy landscape, highlighting key events, and the innovations that made tapping the oil resource easier and cheaper. The book makes the reader have a bystander¡¯s view of the global conflicts caused by the need to have access to and control over energy reserves. The book is divided into several sections (which compartmentalize the relevant issues and make them easier to comprehend for the reader) and then integrates them into the mainstream discussion. One of the central themes of ¡®The Quest¡¯ is the concept of energy security or as we read in the book, what is called energy independence in USA. We come to know of the shaping of international alliances like Oil Producing and Exporting Countries (OPEC), International Association of Oil & Gas Producers (IAOGP), the international regulatory agencies like International Energy Agency ( IEA), and the international forums like International Energy Forum. The concept of energy security aims to ensure a stable and reliable supply of energy resources to meet the needs of nations. Yergin documents the struggles the countries have been facing to achieve it , and how it affects their economies and national security. The book begins with The Energy Paradox- how energy is vital to the economic growth, technological progress and social stability and how it causes geopolitical tensions and environmental concerns, details the New Energy Age- emphasises the growing importance of unconventional energy sources, shale gas and tight oil and the challenges to tap them, before moving on to Climate Change Concerns, The Quest for Energy Efficiency and the Search for Solutions. The growing importance of renewable energy resources like solar and wind power to Energy Security, the challenges in harnessing them as well as the advent of electric vehicles are all covered from point of view of the future of energy security. It is a thought-provoking work providing historical perspective and valuable insights in an interesting way for young environmentalists like us.
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