Rising Powers, Shrinking Planet

Oil recently hit the milestone of $100 a barrel. And it is still climbing. Unlike the oil shocks of the 1970s, this dizzying leap is not a product of temporary OPEC embargo or a sudden flare-up in the Middle East. Rather, it is a sign of a permanent new structure of world power, one in which market forces and military strength matter far less than the scarcity of vital natural resources. Surveying the changed energy-driven dynamic, Michael Klein, the preeminent expert on resource geopolitics, forecasts a future of surprising new alliances and explosive danger. As essential sources of energy rapidly deplete, governments rather than corporations are taking over the pursuit of resources. In a radically altered world - where a resurgent Russia holds Europe to ransom, and the West is forced to compete with the 'Chindia' juggernaut - the only route to survival, Klane shows, lies through international cooperation.