The global economy depends on energy and natural resources, making energy security a key national interest. Nations with large fossil fuel reserves wield considerable geopolitical influence, while nations reliant on energy imports are vulnerable to supply disruptions and price volatility. Energy and resource security are exacerbated by environmental challenges, including climate change, which can trigger territorial disputes and international conflicts.
The race for critical minerals – essential for renewable energy technologies and electric vehicles – is another source of geopolitical tensions, especially because these resources are geographically concentrated in a few countries. Nations competing for leadership in these sectors seek to acquire the technology and a sustainable supply chain to boost their economic prosperity and influence in international relations.
As a result, conflict over trade routes has emerged as a new front in the quest for geopolitical influence. For example, the seizure of a single commercial ship in the Strait of Hormuz can have immediate and widespread impact on the euro area economies. A more holistic description of these challenges requires a systems perspective, whereby actions in one system trigger feedback loops and unintended consequences in other related systems.
A deeper interpretation of geopolitical tensions in energy and sustainability also reveals their structural contradictions within the global system, challenging the notion that these issues can be described solely as the result of direct power competition or political rivalry. It requires a multifaceted approach leveraging insights from political science, economics, environmental studies, history, and sociology to reveal the broad complexity of these emerging risks.
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