Geopolitics of Energy versus Geoenergy of Politics

This study focuses on the significance of energy resources, supply networks and security, recognizing their key role in the analysis and interpretation of national and international politics and economics. Furthermore, the pursuit of ensuring guaranteed availability of oil and natural gas in the desirable quantities is gradually expected to play a pivotal role in the foreign policies and priorities of all the countries on the planet, especially those of the ìGreat Powersî having increased dependence on hydrocarbons. Due to the consequent high stakes of energy security, governments and businesses are strategically required to focus on and cope with rivalries as well as partnerships on a national, multinational and global scale. This development has led authors to revise the assessments of ìGeopoliticsî and ìGeoeconomicsî and look for a successful substitute approach. In the paper authors continue to discuss about own proposed new term and concept of ìGeoenergyî (Geoenergeia), justifying the added value of a respective approach. ìGeoenergyî acknowledges the existence of international approaches, like ìGeopoliticsî and ìGeoeconomicsî do, and even more, it may essentially be a tool searching for the main causes behind political and economic decisions, which are usually triggered by long lasting conflicts around the control of scarce energy resources. Additionally, the approach ìGeoenergyî emphasizes the energy power as a factor that contributes considerably to establishing the dominant countries and utilising their capacities over long historical periods in the world power system. The new approach ìGeonergyî applies mainly when a ìGreat Powerî has a deficit in energy resources and is energy-dependent.