25th Parliamentary Intelligence-Security Forum – Energy Security
Ambassador Carla Sands underscored the paramount significance of energy security in safeguarding national security, fostering economic prosperity, and maintaining global stability. She critically examined prevailing Western policies that prioritize net-zero or degrowth initiatives over the reliable and cost-effective generation of domestic energy, asserting that these policies inadvertently enhance reliance on adversaries such as China, Russia, and OPEC, thereby jeopardizing economic stability and human well-being.
Sands emphasized the imperative of preparing nations for potential conflicts as a deterrent, advocating for pro-growth policies, and securing supply chains for critical minerals to counter China’s ascendancy. Drawing upon her extensive experience as the U.S. Ambassador to Denmark, she cited notable successes in obstructing Huawei 5G technology and curbing Russian energy influence as exemplars of proactive national security measures.
She cautioned that misguided climate policies, including excessive reliance on intermittent renewable energy sources and restrictions on hydrocarbons, pose a significant risk of economic collapse, energy poverty, and the erosion of prosperity. In contrast, she advocated for a pragmatic energy approach that encompasses drilling, mining, refining, and resource sharing both domestically and with allied nations. This approach should support nuclear and fossil fuels in tandem with renewables, allowing market forces to drive innovation.
Sands concluded by urging governments to pursue pro-energy, pro-growth policies that alleviate poverty, safeguard economic and national security, and ensure global human flourishing.
