Journal Article

How energy secure is south Asia: Observations through an environmental lens1

Krishnan, Rekha

2009

Overview

The concept of 'energy security' has evolved considerably over the years. Till the oil crisis in the 1970s, energy security appeared to be linked closely to the geo-political risks associated with securing energy supplies (particularly oil supplies), energy pricing became an integral part of energy security concerns thereafter. In the 1980s as energy prices dropped, environmental considerations became prominent at the Rio Summit in 1992. Thereafter, the year 2000 and beyond have seen three simultaneous streams of concerns pertaining to (i) oil price volatility (since late 2002); (ii) climate change and the dominant role of the energy sector in this regard; and (iii) concerns over income and human poverty (voiced through the Millennium Development Goals) and catalytic role of energy in alleviating it. These three streams of concerns have led to the integration of economic and geo-political, environmental and social concerns respectively on the energy security agenda. In this Viewpoint energy security has been examined through an environmental lens.