US foreign energy policy and grand strategy choice: global systemic crises confronting the Obama Administration

Abstract

The analysis of US foreign energy policy should be in the context of a 'grand strategy' choice between 'global hegemonism' and 'cooperative realism'. The latter is more viable in addressing a series of global systemic crises. The first of these crises is in the global security system itself as the world is involved in a transition toward multipolarity. The uneven economic development underlying this transition is complicated by the global financial-economic crisis since late 2008. These two systemic crises impact on a third, with a longer time-scale, namely that of 'dangerous' climate change and attempts to impose limits on greenhouse gas emissions, especially from the global energy sector. The fourth inter-linked crisis is in the global energy system itself between depleting supplies of conventional crude oil and rising demand for it. Resolution, or even effective management, of these crises requires inter alia the USA to seriously address issues in domestic policy – not least energy policy.