A stable and reliable energy supply is of critical importance and enhances resilience against political and economic pressures. As was noted during the NATO Warsaw Summit in 2016, energy developments could have significant political and security implications for the alliance and its allies, as demonstrated by the crises to NATO's east and south. This book presents papers from the NATO Advanced Research Workshop “Addressing Emerging Security Risks for Energy Flows over South Caucasus”, which took place in Tbilisi, Georgia, in December 2016. The workshop brought together academics specializing in energy security, practitioners dealing with energy infrastructure, safety and critical energy projects, NATO and EU experts, and representatives from industry, civil society and governmental agencies. The workshop consisted of six major panels, which addressed numerous issues and emphasised the importance of the energy transit function of Georgia and the South Caucasus. It reviewed existing and future energy transit projects and potential flows of oil and power, and debated areas of common interest and forms of cooperation between consumers, producers and transit states. New security challenges raised by the increased threat of terrorist activities and potential military actions were also analyzed. Potential forms of cooperation to provide adequate strategic and tactical safeguards against emerging threats were identified by the participants, and the book will be of interest to all those concerned with the security of our energy supplies.

The analysis of geopolitics and energy security policies in the Caspian region is a challenging research task. This is because of the specific development of international relations in this region and the evolution of its importance in the context of the functioning of the global energy market. Due to its special geopolitical location in central Eurasia and at the junction at the world’s largest trading routes, the region is gaining in importance, both politically and economically in contemporary international relations, and becoming a place where actors involved satisfy the need for energy security.

This book aims to highlight the efforts by the international community to facilitate solutions to the conflicts in the South Caucasus, and focuses particularly on the existing challenges to these efforts. The South Caucasus region has long been roiled by the lingering ethno-national conflicts—Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Abkhazia and South Ossetia conflicts within Georgia—that continue to disrupt security and stability in the entire region. Throughout different phases of the conflicts the international community has shown varying degrees of activism in conflict resolution. For clarity purposes, it should be emphasized that the notion of “international community” will be confined to the relevant organizations that have palpable share in the process—the UN, the OSCE, and the EU—and the states that have the biggest impact on conflict resolution and the leverage on the conflicting parties—Russia, Turkey, and the United States.

This book addresses the potential and limitations of the European Union Neighbourhood Policy in sustaining the expansion of the European security community towards the South Caucasus. The Caucasus’ complex regional security dynamics are a hard test for regional security community building and showcase both the challenges of security provision through liberal reforms and integration and of the interaction between security communities and balance of power. The author begins by conceptualizing security community expansion and then considers the ENP through this perspective, before moving on to individual case studies on Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. The book will appeal to both scholars and practitioners interested in European security, the European Union external action, and the post-Soviet space.

Published in association with the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

This book offers a prospective analysis of the anticipated security consequences of climate change in relation to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Using climate and security literature to complement recent foresight and scenario analysis developed by NATO, the author applies the International Risk Governance Council’s (IRGC) Risk Governance Framework to identify the considerations and actions that could assist NATO in a context where climate and environmental factors more intensively shape security. Tyler Lippert explores how climate change has the potential to increase the need for humanitarian assistance and disaster response, to create tension over shared resources, to renew and enhance geo-political interest in the Arctic, and to deepen concern with respect to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Within this new political and environmental reality, NATO must consider how to adapt to meet new demands, prepare for new security challenges, as well as manage unforeseen consequences. Offering a corrective, this book identifies near-term actions for NATO to improve its risk governance posture, providing a basis upon which longer-range policy considerations can be developed. This analysis is only the opening salvo of what is likely to be a complicated process that spans many years, if not decades. However, in mapping the risk governance dimensions to the security and climate nexus from the perspective of NATO, Lippert provides a foundation for risk-based policy planning for NATO. The book will be of immense value to policy and decision makers: NATO leadership and its affiliated organizations as well as to academics across a broad span of subject areas, particularly environmental sociology, defense and foreign policy, and the political sciences.

The South Caucasus region, comprising the former Soviet states of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia occupies a key strategic location, squeezed between the Black and Caspian Seas, Iran, Russia and Turkey. Since the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991, the region has become an arena of geopolitical confrontation with regional powers such as Russia, Turkey and Iran vying for influence in the face of growing Western involvement. The Russian military intervention in Georgia in 2008 not only raised questions about Moscow's intentions towards its 'Near Abroad' and the future direction of its foreign policy, it also demonstrated that ostensibly local separatist disputes have serious ramifications for regional relations and the wider international community. In this book, German explores the extent of regional cooperation in the South Caucasus, analyses the reasons for the relative lack of regional cooperation and assesses the potential for deeper cooperation in the future.

Never before have technological advances had so great an impact on security—not only increasing the nature and level of threats, but also for the possibility of providing the means to address the threats. Technologies that could increase security include ubiquitous and omnipresent surveillance systems, the use of new algorithms for big data, improving bio- and psycho-metrics, and artificial intelligence and robotics. Yet trustworthy and reliable partners and an active and alert society remain sine qua non to reduce terrorism. “To my mind, this publication is one of the best studies of modern terrorism and what to do about it that we have at our disposal. So I am confident that it will find a wide readership, not only in academic or think tank circles, but even more importantly, among policy makers and government officials. They stand to benefit most and they can afford least of all to ignore the important conclusions and recommendations that this wise publication has provided.” Jamie SHEA Deputy Assistant Secretary General, Emerging Security Challenges Division, NATO

The rapid pace of geopolitical change, the urgent necessity for sustainability, and the fundamental importance of energy security converge to shape our complex global landscape today. This issue of Transatlantic Policy Quarterly delves into "Change, Security, and Sustainability in Energy," offering insights from scholars and professionals on how regions and nations are navigating this pivotal transformation. This issue is also a testament to the diverse perspectives needed to address our global energy challenges. From Europe to Asia and the Americas, these contributors provide thoughtful analyses and innovative ideas for a sustainable, secure, and resilient energy future. We invite you to engage with these articles, each shedding light on the crucial crossroads of change, security, and sustainability in energy.

After centuries-long neglect, land transportation corridors connecting Asia and Europe are on the brink of a re-awakening. From a level of practically zero, a revived network of these land corridors is likely to garner a considerable share of the freight revenues emanating from increasing trade between Asia and Europe. Therefore, there is competition among major players for control in shaping of the Asia-Europe railway transportation corridors. However, possibilities for cooperation exist as well. In this book, transportation corridors joining Asia and Europe are examined and evaluated at a general level. Moreover, the Baku-Tblisi-Kars railway project is assessed from the perspectives of the 3 countries involved: Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey. Further, it has been proved that the road will strengthen regionalism and will increase the prospects for the three host countries to become a part of the corridors that are being developed globally. Besides, Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway road will play a key role in helping to revive the Silk Road connection shaping common vision and facilitating in transforming the region. The BTK transport corridor will be able to stimulate the development of non-oil economy reviving the non-oil trade and economic activities in the region restoring the historical position of the region as a commercial hub along the ancient silk ways. By 2025, this region is expected to become prosperous financial sector for which comprehensive strategy is being formulated by the regional countries for sustainable growth.