Energy and security. [Adapted from book published from Harvard University study]
Several months ago, faculty members and researchers at Harvard decided to address the issue of energy as a national-security problem by drawing together experts from the energy, security, and foreign-policy fields with the assistance of the Kennedy School's centers. An initial discussion of the most likely sources of oil-supply interruptions and the most urgent preparations to be undertaken by the US led to a research project, including a series of seminars and workshops. The project generated a book, Energy and Security, edited by the authors of this article, and from which this article is adapted. With nearly 40% of the oil consumed by the free world's economy vulnerable to terrorism, accident, warfare, and extortion, the potential economic costs of major supply interruptions are clearly terrifying. According to one estimate, a nine-million-barrel-per-day cutback of Saudi oil for a year would slash the American GNP by 6.6%, the European GNP by 8.8%, and the Japanese GNP by 9.5%; the loss of all Persian Gulf oil would cut America's GNP by 17.6%, Europe's by 23.3%, and Japan's by 27.3%. Since World War II, American strategy in foreign policy has focused on the defense of Europe and Japan, leading us to spend $150 million yearly on defense, the largest part devoted to strengthening NATO; yet, today, the likelihood of a large interruption of oil supplies stemming from various Middle East conflicts is much greater than an altercation that would involve NATO. Pointing out the sad truth that many government actions taken after the embargo in 1973 have made our situation worse - both energy and security - the authors review our present available options, then make recommendations for a coherent policy for energy security and national security, with the highest priority placed on putting US energy affairs in order.
- Research Organization:
- Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA
- OSTI ID:
- 6731633
- Journal Information:
- Harvard Mag.; (United States), Journal Name: Harvard Mag.; (United States) Vol. 83:3; ISSN HAMAD
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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EMERGENCY PLANS
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