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18 February 2010

Dundee to lead €2.7m study of world's energy challenges

The challenges presented by global competition for access to oil, gas and mineral resources are the subject of a European-wide study being led by the University of Dundee.

The aims of the project are to identify the main global challenges relating to competition for access to resources, and to propose new approaches to collaborative solutions.

The project is led by the Centre for Energy, Petroleum and Mineral Law and Policy (CEPMLP) at the University of Dundee and includes eleven other partners from across Europe. It is funded by a €2.7m grant from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme, theme 'Socio-economics Sciences & Humanities'.

'This project is very timely. Though the fear of depletion of critical energy and mineral resources is not a new phenomenon, the last decade of sustained economic growth across the world has reinforced this concern,' said Professor Philip Andrews-Speed from CEPMLP, who is the project co-ordinator.

'High commodity prices and fears of future shortages tend to raise tensions and stimulate conflict. As resource-importing nations struggle to secure their supplies, so resource-exporting nations seek to enhance their bargaining power.'

'Importing countries compete with each other rather than co-operate in efforts to secure supplies, whilst within resource-rich countries conflicts may arise as different parties seek to gain the benefits of the additional revenues.'

'This project will identify the main issues regarding this competition to access supplies, and propose new approaches for collaborative solutions. It should support EU evidence-based policies in the energy sector. With the Lisbon Treaty, energy is now a shared competence between the Union and the Member States.'

The title of the project is 'Competition and collaboration in access to oil, gas and mineral resources'. The project will run for three years from January 2010.

The project is truly multidisciplinary and draws on expertise in geology, engineering, new technologies and materials, economics, international relations, political science and law.

The other partner institutions in the project are as follows:

  • University of Westminster (United Kingdom)
  • Clingendael International Energy Programme (Netherlands)
  • Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe (Germany)
  • Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (Italy)
  • Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (France)
  • ENERDATA (France)
  • Raw Materials Group (Sweden)
  • Gulf Research Center Foundation (Switzerland)
  • The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies (Netherlands)
  • Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (Germany)
  • Osrodek Studiow Wschodnich (Poland)

According to Mr. Daniele Benintendi of the Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei, 'This project, through a wide array of dissemination activities, will offer new tools to policy makers and companies to address these challenges which face us over the next thirty years. Events will be organised in London, Paris, Amsterdam and Brussels, including a special presentation of the results to the Industry, Research and Energy Committee of the European Parliament.'

CEPMLP brings to the project a unique combination of disciplinary skills including economics, law, policy and politics relating to both energy and minerals, together with an international outlook. Over the course of the three years the project will draw on the expertise of most of the full-time academic staff as well as a number of the global faculty.

NOTES TO EDITORS

About CEPMLP, University of Dundee
CEPMLP is part of the Graduate School of Natural Resources Law, Policy and Management at the University of Dundee, which delivers world-class research, consultancy, postgraduate programmes and advanced executive programmes for aspiring and current leaders in the natural resources sector.

CEPMLP is an internationally-renowned, inter-disciplinary centre for post-graduate teaching and research in the energy and mineral sectors. It attracts more than 200 students each year from around the world to its Masters and Doctorate degree programmes, and carries out research in key areas of international concern relating to energy and mineral law, economics and policy.


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