Pipeline or Pipe Dream: The Potential of Peace Pipelines as a Solution to Fragmentation and Energy Insecurity in the European Union

Abstract

In recent years, the European Union (EU) has developed its energy policy to adapt to an evolving global market calling for cleaner energy while maintaining and enhancing its energy security as consumption has remained constant. While the EU works towards this goal, it also seeks to reduce Russian dominance in its energy markets. The EU’s internal politics have become more fragmented with the Eurozone and refugee crises, which has made the coordination of Union policies difficult as leaders are unable to form strong domestic policy alone to counter Russian presence in the energy market. Lacking a united energy policy against Russia, the EU seeks alternative suppliers for its energy needs. One increasingly popular solution is importing newly discovered gas in Israel and the countries of the East Mediterranean region into the EU via pipeline. The peace pipeline theory has the potential to address both energy security and conflict mitigation through the claim that states with economic relations are far less likely to engage in conflict with one another than those without economic ties. This article analyzes the economic interdependence peace pipeline theory and investigates its potential to aid Europe’s quest for energy security. It explores current efforts to use pipelines as a foreign policy tool, examining case studies of Turkey, Israel, and Cyprus. While interstate pipelines can assist Europe’s goal of achieving energy security, available evidence suggests proponents have overstated their impact on energy security and international relations.