ENERGY SECURITY KAS Publication Series No. 32, New Delhi, 2011 ENERGY SECURITY Managing risks, balancing concerns and developing frameworks 5th TERI-KAS International Energy Dialogue 24-26 October 2010, New Delhi Published by: Office of the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung in India 2, Nyaya Marg, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi-110021 Tel: 91-11-26113520 Webpage: www.kas.de © Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Responsible: Ligia Noronha and Ravi K. Batra, TERI Printers: Anshah Publishing House, Delhi-110092
[email protected] Published in 2011 Foreword Foreword The politics of energy security has emerged as a key concern worldwide and national energy strategies are increasingly treated as part of the traditional security agenda. The global demand for energy is slated to grow dramatically over the next 20 years, with the most rapid incremental consumption becoming evident in Asia, particularly in China and India. All governments will therefore need to develop comprehensive policies to meet the challenges posed by the growing demand for energy globally. Access to cheap energy has become essential to the functioning of modern economies. However, the uneven distribution of energy supplies among countries has led to significant vulnerabilities. Threats to energy security include the political instability of several energy producing countries, the manipulation of energy supplies, the competition for energy resources, attacks on supply infrastructure as well as accidents and natural disasters. Energy security will thus become an increasingly important component of foreign and security policy agendas in the countries the world over. As the strategic importance of energy rises, both globally and nationally, the more it is going to be the focus of intense public and political debate.