Chapter VI. Ignite a New Era of Global Economic Growth through Free Markets and Free Trade
Section C. The Way Ahead - 2. Opening, integrating, and diversifying energy markets to ensure energy independence.
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Most of the energy that drives the global economy comes from fossil fuels, especially
petroleum. The United States is the world's third largest oil producer, but we rely on
international sources to supply more than 50 percent of our needs. Only a small number
of countries make major contributions to the world's oil supply.
The world's dependence on these few suppliers is neither responsible nor sustainable
over the long term. The key to ensuring our energy security is diversity in the regions
from which energy resources come and in the types of energy resources on which we
rely.
National Security Strategy 28
· The Administration will work with resource-rich countries to increase their openness,
transparency, and rule of law. This will promote effective democratic governance
and attract the investment essential to developing their resources and expanding the
range of energy suppliers.
· We will build the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership to work with other nations to
develop and deploy advanced nuclear recycling and reactor technologies. This
initiative will help provide reliable, emission-free energy with less of the waste
burden of older technologies and without making available separated plutonium that
could be used by rogue states or terrorists for nuclear weapons. These new
technologies will make possible a dramatic expansion of safe, clean nuclear energy to
help meet the growing global energy demand.
· We will work with international partners to develop other transformational
technologies such as clean coal and hydrogen. Through projects like our FutureGen
initiative, we seek to turn our abundant domestic coal into emissions-free sources of
electricity and hydrogen, providing our economies increased power with decreased
emissions.
· On the domestic front, we are investing in zero-emission coal-fired plants;
revolutionary solar and wind technologies; clean, safe nuclear energy; and cutting-
edge methods of producing ethanol.
Our comprehensive energy strategy puts a priority on reducing our reliance on foreign
energy sources. Diversification of energy sources also will help alleviate the "petroleum
curse" the tendency for oil revenues to foster corruption and prevent economic growth
and political reform in some oil-producing states. In too many such nations, ruling elites
enrich themselves while denying the people the benefits of their countries' natural
wealth. In the worst cases, oil revenues fund activities that destabilize their regions or
advance violent ideologies. Diversifying the suppliers within and across regions reduces
opportunities for corruption and diminishes the leverage of irresponsible rulers.
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