2001 Annual Session Resolution on Energy Policy presented by the Economics and Security Committee Ottawa, 9 October 2001 The Assembly, Recognising that the terrorist attacks upon the United States could freshly test the fragile geopolitics of world oil supply; Recognising that the global demand for energy will inevitably rise over the next twenty years despite the declining correlation between growth and energy use that most OECD countries have undergone; Noting as well that much of this growing demand for energy will arise in the developing world, and that China and India will become major energy importers over the coming years; Acknowledging that current trends suggest that carbon fuels will remain the most important sources of global energy in that period; Concerned that as Western energy production declines, a mounting share of global oil and gas production will take place in regions where ethnic strife, authoritarian government and highly unequal wealth distribution have engendered worrisome political instability that could trigger supply disruptions; Noting the vital energy relationship that exists between Russia and Europe and the opportunities this creates for deepening co-operation on the continent; but Recognising as well the need for diversifying the suppliers of any strategic commodity; Understanding that fossil fuels and coal are primary causes of global warming and that rapidly accelerating climatic change could well have catastrophic economic effects; Recognising that advances in nuclear plant design and technology have led to significant safety improvements, but that serious outstanding problems remain not only in the area of waste disposal but also in terms of the potential threat highlighted by the terrorist attacks of 11 September; Concerned that renewable energy resources are not being developed at a pace commensurate with their potential contribution to meeting energy needs with minimal impact on the environment, and that Alliance governments as well as many countries in the developing world are not doing more to encourage energy conservation; Lamenting the fact that Europe and the United States have not been able to find common ground on the Kyoto Protocol and that much of the developing world would be excluded from its obligations; yet Applauding the progress made at the July conference in Bonn dedicated to finalising the Kyoto Protocol, including a new-found willingness to give greater consideration to American concerns about emissions-trading and so-called "carbon sinks" - forested land that absorbs green house gases; URGES member governments and parliaments of the North Atlantic Alliance: to assess the adequacy of member countries' government- and privately-held energy stocks, and policies for management of stocks in the event of supply disruptions and to co-ordinate such a review with the International Energy Agency (IEA); to undertake a broad multifaceted effort to deal comprehensively with long-term energy and environmental challenges that, if neglected, could lead to serious disruptions in the lives of their citizens while weakening their economies; to ensure adequate energy supplies for sustainable development of the international community will remain a top strategic priority for all Allied governments, and that it must be adequately reflected in their long-term planning across sectors and at all levels; to find common ground on the vital issue of global warming and to take urgent action to reduce green house gas emissions; to advance technologies which will allow for the cleaner burning of fossil fuels and coal; to press forward in seeking an effective global environmental protocol which will bring Europe and America together and provide for appropriate participation by the developing world; to consider carefully the environmental impact of new oil and gas drilling initiatives and to weigh the costs and benefits before embarking on new exploration projects; to pursue the development of renewable energy resources that, in combination with greater energy conservation, can reduce global dependence on fossil fuels; to explore further advances in nuclear technology to improve plant safety and to find a safe solution for the disposal of nuclear waste; to ensure that deregulation of energy markets facilitates efforts to meet growing energy demand and encourages energy conservation; to engage democratic reformist forces in certain key supplier countries with which the West has had very difficult relations in recent decades; and to defuse tensions in the Middle East and work towards a peaceful resolution of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, thus providing for stability and prosperity in the region.

© NATO Parliamentary Assembly