LATEST REPORT
Wednesday, July 28, 2004
Content
- ROK Energy Sector and LEAP Model Update
- Electricity Reform in OECD Pacific Countries
- Climate Change Scenarios
- Investigative Report on Japan Nuclear Disaster
- Korean Energy Comparison
- Russian Government Reform
- Taiwan Energy
1. ROK Energy Sector and LEAP Model Update
The Nautilus Institute (Jungmin Kang, Woojin Chung, “UPDATES ON THE ROK ENERGY SECTOR AND THE ROK LEAP MODEL, AND IMPLICATIONS OF A REGIONAL ALTERNATIVE PATH FOR THE ROK”, May 2004) released this paper from Nautilus’ Asian Energy Security Workshop held May 11 – 14 in Beijing, China. The paper provides an update on the Republic of Korea energy sector and measures regarding energy and environment security. The paper also details progress made to a ROK national dataset and national and regional energy pathway scenarios in Long Range Energy Alternatives Planning (LEAP) software. here.
2. Electricity Reform in OECD Pacific Countries
The IEA (Dong-Wook Lee, “INTERMEDIARY REPORT ON COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF ELECTRICITY REFORM IN OECD PACIFIC COUNTRIES”, 2004) published this working paper as input for a broader comparative analysis of electricity sector reforms to be conducted during 2004/2005. The present document emphasizes “areas that are considered to be crucial in a successful market reform and on the particular national frameworks that has driven the reforms in the OECD Pacific countries.” These areas include: political and legislative processes and institutional and structural aspects in the reforms and a study of market infrastructures that facilitate change.
http://www.iea.org/dbtw-wpd/textbase/papers/2004/ele_reform.pdf.
3. Climate Change Scenarios
Global Business Networks (Peter Schwartz, Doug Randall, ‘AN ABRUPT CLIMATE CHANGE SCENARIO AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR UNITED STATES NATIONAL SECURITY”, October 2003) published a report outlining an abrupt climate change scenario characterized by extreme temperature changes, regional persistent drought, and intensified winter storms and winds. The report explores effects of an abrupt climate change scenario on the geo-political environment including battles, and even war due to resource constraints. “This report suggests that, because of the potentially dire consequences, the risk of abrupt climate change, although uncertain and quite possibly small, should be elevated beyond a scientific debate to a U.S. national security concern.”
4. Investigative Report on Japan Nuclear Disaster
In an article written for Asahi Shimbun (Toshihide Ueda, “NUCLEAR NIGHTMARE: NUKE SPILL”, July 16, 2004), Toshihide Ueda reports that, according to the Atomic Energy Society of Japan, “the nation’s biggest nuclear gaffe, which killed two and exposed more than 660 residents to radiation, was the result of lax safety control measures brought on by a shaky national policy.” A committee investigative team from the Society bases a report on a study of roughly 15,000 articles of trial documents that detail activities – some illegal – leading up to the accident in 1999. The final report will include an evaluation of safety measures taken and will be used as a reference for guidelines to prevent future disaster.
5. Korean Energy Comparison
Yonhap/Asia Pulse (“N KOREA’S ENERGY SUPPLY ONLY 8 PCT OF S KOREA’S”, July 13, 2004) reports that, according to South Korea National Oil Corporation, “North Korea’s energy supply was equivalent to only 8 percent of South Korea’s in 2000”. In the North, 72 percent of energy was coal-based in 2000, while the South depended on oil for more than half of it’s energy, and atomic power for a significant portion. Energy consumption is expected to increase fivefold by 2020 and diversify its energy structure, according to the South Korean company.
6. Russian Government Reform
Monterey Institute’s Center for Nonproliferation Studies (Cristina Chuen, “THE 2004 RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT REFORMS”, July 2004) published a research study detailing major reforms in the Russian Government since February 2004. Chuen states that “to date, the greatest [long-term effect of the reforms on national administration] has been political maneuvering…and difficulties getting work done as staffers are uncertain of their powers or responsibilities.” The report points to oversight as a critical problem in the Russian government with the “March subordination of the nuclear regulatory body to the Ministry of Industry and Energy” as being particularly problematic.
7. Taiwan Energy
The Energy Information Administration (eia.doe.gov, “TAIWAN” COUNTRY ANALYSIS BRIEFS, July 2004) provides analysis of the current state of Taiwan’s Energy sector, economy and environment. The report states “Taiwan is a leading economic and trading center, with one of the busiest ports in the world (Kaohsiung). As Taiwan lacks sufficient domestic energy sources, it is almost totally dependent on energy imports. ” Per capita energy use in Taiwan is on par with most of its neighboring countries, however energy intensity levels tend to be relatively high in comparison primarily due to the heavy concentration of energy-intensive manufacturing industries.
Read the report.
Produced by the Nautilus Institute.