The long march to energy independence: Part 1
The 1970s provide the most important lessons on creating a sustainable and secure energy system
October 2023 marked the 50th anniversary of the 1973 Yom Kippur War and the Arab Oil Embargo, which caused a rise in global oil prices that brought energy security to the forefront. Many policy decisions made by the governments of the US, Japan, and most EU countries have been guided since then by the need to protect against oil price shocks. These policies initially led to programmes that increased use of non-oil energy sources (primarily coal), encouraged conservation and created strategic crude oil inventories designed, theoretically, for use during supply shortages. Such reactive energy policies have had several unintended impacts. The most egregious has been climate change. Emissions of

Also in this section
1 April 2025
There is method to the US president’s apparent madness, and those seeking to understand need look no further than their local bookshop
1 April 2025
Strong economic growth targets are encouraging for the country’s energy demand growth, even if meeting those goals might be a tall order
28 March 2025
The Central Asian country is positioning itself as a low-carbon leader, but antiquated infrastructure and a dependence on Russia are holding it back
28 March 2025
MCEDD 2025 took place in Madrid this week with record attendance and a wide-ranging programme, reflecting the deepwater sector’s renewed momentum, strategic focus and accelerating technological innovation.