ABSTRACT
Industrial and developing nations are facing an unprecedented combination of economic, environmental, and political challenges. First, they face the formidable challenge to meet ever-expanding energy needs without further impacting the climate and the environment. Second, the continued population growth in developing countries and the emergence of a global economy are creating unprecedented stress on the resources of the Earth. Emerging countries are claiming access to the same standard of living as industrial nations, resulting in large needs for energy sources, fast and reliable transportation systems, and industrial equipment. From the standpoint of international security, energy issues include the potential for conict over access to remaining supplies of inexpensive fossil fuels, which are often concentrated in politically unstable regions.
