23 February 2007

Conference report for first Transatlantic Energy Security Dialogue now available

The conference, entitled "Energy Dragons Rising: Global Energy Governance and the Rise of China and India", took place on 18-19 January 2007 at the Schloßhotel Cecilienhof in Potsdam and was the first of two conferences in the GPPi "Transatlantic Energy Security Dialogues" program sponsored by the German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF). The goal of  this conference was to bring together decision-makers from the economic, political and academic worlds; NGOs; and the media to cut across the traditional dividing lines of security, development and the environment within the context of energy security.

Starting with an opening speech outlining the challenges put forward by the rapid growth of emerging economies like China and India, the conference addressed these themes by exploring (i) the rationale behind China’s and India’s current strategies, (ii) their consequences for issues of global governance, and (iii) common transatlantic policy options for adjusting the global framework for energy governance to meet the needs of all market participants. Small working groups tackled specific aspects of each question. In each working group, a participant with particular expertise on the topic was asked to give a short introductory presentation while another led the discussion. A second panel discussion was also held to solicit additional input on policy options.

The unique mix of speakers and participants made for lively discussion and debate both during the conference and during informal gatherings. Speakers and participants included, among others, António Costa Silva, Chairman of the Management Commission, PARTEX Oil & Gas; Flynt Leverett, Senior Fellow and Director, Geopolitics of Energy Initiative, New America Foundation; Markus Ederer, Head of Planning Staff, German Foreign Office; Gregory Austin, Director for Policy Innovation and Acting Director, Global Security Program, East-West Institute; Dagmar Graczyk, Manager for South Asia, Office of Non-Member Countries, International Energy Agency, Paris; Jing Huang, Senior Fellow, China Studies, The Brookings Institution, Washington, DC; and Manfred Konukiewitz, Director, Global and Sectoral Tasks, German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development, Bonn.

The second "Transatlantic Energy Security Dialogues" conference will take place in May 2007.

To download the conference report, please click here.

To visit the "Transatlantic Energy Security Dialogues" project page, please click here.

For more information, please contact Jan Martin Witte, Philipp Rotmann or Wade Hoxtell

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