Essay
Abstract: Regionalising the implementation of EU energy policy legislation and strategy building is an important tool of the Energy Union in pursuing its goals, but empowering regions might meet with the resurfacing discussion on differentiated cooperation. The paper outlines the recent developments of the Energy Union and the energy cooperation of the Visegrad Group - one of the main regional initiatives in energy cooperation. The paper presents the energy policy issues the Energy Union and the Visegrad cooperation faces, and outlines two scenarios of potential differentiated cooperation as a reaction to those issues. It finds, that such complex regional differentiated cooperation mechanisms might face challenges possibly preventing them to occur.
Commentary
Abstract: Through alternative energy sources we look for energy that can help replace the use of coal and petroleum. Coal became popular when it replaced wood as the main source of fire and fuel. However, it is still being used extensively in power plants to produce electricity. Though a considerable switch to renewable energy sources is gaining momentum, it may take a while to produce the amount of power needed to run our daily lives. Similarly, petroleum is still a leading source of fuel to run vehicles today.
Abstract: The international political system is subject to both integration and fragmentation on regional and global level. As a result of deepening of the processes of globalization, internationalization and interconnection of the national economies, the individual states cannot effectively face global and regional challenges on their own in isolation of the surrounding. Therefore, they are grouping into wider integrational units based on geographical and cultural proximity and common interests. In the context of economization of international relations, asymmetric distribution of strategic raw materials, and the increasing pressure of the global market on economic efficiency, a safe and stable access to energy resources is essential for every well-functioning and competitive economy.
Abstract: The main purpose of NATO as a military alliance is to defend its member-states from any external attacks with all means available. After the collapse of the Soviet Union more and more non-conventional threats appeared on international politics, thus NATO had to reinvent itself and adapt to the new security challenges. Access to vital energy sources has always been essential for its member-states, but did not think on international institutions as a useful tools, which can contribute to their own energy security. Even less efforts has been put on cooperating in NATO, a transatlantic military alliance based on the idea of consensual decision-making. It was simply not logical to expect any realistic common ground on energy security in a framework of NATO. Despite all of the problems mentioned above, energy security initiatives appeared on the agenda of NATO along the vast amount of new non-traditional threats. The aim of this article is to analyze these initiatives and to assess how significant still complementary contribution NATO has done in terms of energy policy in the last decade.