2 results
8 - Energy
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- By Mely Caballero-Anthony, Nanyang Technological University, Kevin Punzalan, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Koh Swee Lean Collin, Nanyang Technological University
- Edited by Mely Caballero-Anthony, Alistair D. B. Cook
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- Book:
- Non-Traditional Security in Asia
- Published by:
- ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute
- Published online:
- 21 October 2015
- Print publication:
- 12 March 2013, pp 205-233
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- Chapter
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Summary
As East Asia rapidly develops, greater demands are being placed on governments to efficiently supply energy to sustain economic growth. Simultaneously, public awareness of environmental issues has placed new imperatives on energy planning. To meet these challenges, the concept of sustainable development must be incorporated into energy security strategies in order to balance the three priorities of energy security, economic growth and environmental protection. Alternative energy forms a cornerstone of such a strategy. From a brief examination of the contemporary developments in alternative energy sources in East Asia, this chapter shows that the use of “nuclear renaissance” for describing the energy future of the region is still premature, given that progress in this field has not been uniform and has largely stagnated. Instead, renewable energy developments show better progress and hold greater promise for East Asia. Instead of a “nuclear renaissance”, a “renewables renaissance” may be taking hold in the region.
LURKING UNCERTAINTIES
Continuing debates on energy security have been affected by two important global developments. First, the December 2009 Copenhagen Summit failed to reach a global consensus on a concrete plan to curb carbon emissions. As such, socioeconomically driven national self interests have led many states to focus on national-level carbon emissions reduction and energy efficiency strategies.
Second, as the world economy has begun to recover, it may lead to increasing energy demand. Since this increase follows patterns of population growth and development in Asia, many energy economists point to the long-term upward trend in energy prices. Michael Quah from Singapore's Energy Studies Institute has forecast that rising energy prices will continue despite erratic hydrocarbon prices and an uneven economic recovery.
8 - ASEAN's View on the U.S. Military Role in the Region
- from QUINTESSENTIAL ISSUES
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- By Collin Koh Swee Lean, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
- Edited by Pavin Chachavalpongpun
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- Book:
- ASEAN-U.S. Relations
- Published by:
- ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute
- Published online:
- 21 October 2015
- Print publication:
- 16 December 2011, pp 55-82
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- Chapter
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Summary
Southeast Asia, being strategically positioned in the region, stands at the confluence of great power rivalry and, at the same time, faces a multitude of non-traditional security challenges as well as residual intramural rivalries. The Barack Obama administration on its part adopts a moderate, fiscally-sustainable security approach and is regarded to continue roughly similar military involvement in Southeast Asia. Obama's policy also stresses multilateral cooperation and, in this regard, burden sharing. This is a welcome policy stance, but one that is also a cause for concern over the possible decline of the United States and its reduced commitment towards regional security. These concerns are largely unfounded. It is apparent that U.S. military commitments to the Asia-Pacific on the whole will remain consistent. This is illustrated in the professed intent by Washington to augment the U.S. Navy Seventh Fleet — the linchpin of American military power in the region — in apparent response to China's military rise and increased assertiveness, Korean Peninsula problems, and emerging non-traditional security (NTS) risks.
The basic foundations of the U.S. military role in Southeast Asia remain largely unchanged from the ones that existed under the Bush administration. However, U.S. military involvement may increasingly become issue focused, especially with regard to NTS risks. The Obama administration is focusing on NTS as the basis of sustainable military cooperation with ASEAN. This bodes well for capacity-constrained ASEAN. In the face of geopolitical uncertainties, ASEAN countries from the time of the Bush administration have been attempting to build up their own defence and security capacities. Intraregional defence and security cooperation also appear to have hastened, as seen in talks about the pooling together of nationallevel military capacities, primarily targeted at NTS issues, and ideas about formal military cooperation.
Other than intensifying efforts in regional security cooperation, ASEAN continues to adopt a “business as usual” hedging approach, particularly in the accumulation of national military capacities, especially force-projection assets. The inherent risk is that these capabilities might pose a classic security dilemma, especially given the outstanding territorial disagreements in the region. To sustain U.S.-ASEAN military relations, the United States should continue to fill niche roles by leveraging its power-projection capabilities, especially in NTS contingencies.