The New Energy Paradigm and Balance of Power
Deep historical continuities happen worldwide. The spectacular growth in world population and the economic catching up of new economies lead to a significant increase in energy demand worldwide. Almost everywhere, the economy runs at full speed and the world of energy follows up, using the ways of the past. These continuities are historical determinisms. Economically, they modify deeply the balance of power between countries. Energy-wise, they modify considerably the landscape of geopolitical relationships. The combination of these evolutions either smoothens or accentuates the tensions between nations, in the process redrawing the map of the world’s economic centers of gravity. Three major lines of geopolitical tensions are highlighted here: the relative isolation of the American continent, the growing relationships between countries surrounding the Arabian Sea, and the enhanced partnerships between China and the Eurasian shelf.
