Powering Up a Nation: Energy Security in Japan and Australia

By Willhemina Wahlin

2006 marked the Australia-Japan Year of Exchange, which celebrates 30 years since the signing of the Basic Treaty of Friendship and Co-operation.

Back in 1976, Japan, still reeling from the first oil shock of 1973, was forced to revise its approach to energy security. Australia's oil supply, on the other hand, remained largely uninterrupted, which did little to encourage any rethinking of energy policy. Fast forward to 2006, and the energy situation is looking no better. The peak oil debate and increasing tensions in the Middle East have pushed up the price of crude, and just about every natural resource is in high demand and tight supply. Meanwhile, global warming is presenting unprecedented challenges for governments worldwide. It seems, then, an appropriate time to compare the energy security and climate change policies of Japan and Australia, and to look at what solutions they may be able to offer each other.

(Australian Review of Public Affairs) posted 12-11-06