Climate Change Blowback: The Threats to Energy Security

The role of energy in driving climate change is well understood. Far less understood, however, is the reciprocal effect of climate change on energy. Not all of these effects can be foreseen, but many are beginning to be perceptible. This essay looks at some of these perceptible effects, focusing on the relationship between climate change and the supply and demand for fossil fuels and renewable energies. The essay argues that while climate change may enhance energy production in some respects, its overall impact is likely to be negative unless far greater efforts are made to enhance the resilience of existing energy systems and shift reliance from fossil fuels to renewables.