With its strategic geographic position and concentration of energy sources, the Mediterranean basin plays a key role in energy provision for countries worldwide. Trade from the MENA region, noted for its rich oil and natural gas reserves, crosses the Mediterranean, bound especially towards EU member states, some of its main customers [Forte and Canitano 2019]. This paper investigates the development of the trade in energy sources in the most recent years, taking into account the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. Moreover, it extends its focus to future scenarios, studying in depth the consumption trends not only of fossil fuels but also of renewable energy. The study involves countries of the MENA region as the main energy providers, and European countries along the Mediterranean basin as the main importers. Specific consideration will be given to France, Italy and Spain as major European countries overlooking the Mediterranean. The paper focuses on the exports and imports of fossil fuels, since they still represent the principle energy sources used. References will be included about the degree of energy dependency on foreign countries and the changes dictated by the need to deal with the supply shortfall due to the conflict in Ukraine which has modified general political relationships between European countries and foreign countries. The chapter is structured as follows: the first part is devoted to the current and future consumption of energy sources followed by the effects of the recent pandemic and the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian conflict. Section 3 examines the MENA region and its resource provision and supply. Finally, section 4 focuses on the energy demand of the main Mediterranean European countries, namely France, Italy and Spain, and their relations with MENA countries.
Grazie alla sua posizione geografica strategica e alla concentrazione di fonti energetiche, il bacino del Mediterraneo svolge un ruolo chiave nell'approvvigionamento energetico dei Paesi di tutto il mondo. Il commercio dalla regione MENA, nota per le sue ricche riserve di petrolio e gas naturale, attraversa il Mediterraneo, diretto soprattutto verso gli Stati membri dell'UE, alcuni dei suoi principali clienti [Forte e Canitano 2019]. Il presente lavoro analizza lo sviluppo del commercio di fonti energetiche negli ultimi anni, tenendo conto degli effetti della pandemia COVID-19 e del conflitto russo-ucraino. Inoltre, estende l'attenzione agli scenari futuri, approfondendo i trend di consumo non solo dei combustibili fossili ma anche delle energie rinnovabili. Lo studio coinvolge i Paesi della regione MENA come principali fornitori di energia e i Paesi europei del bacino del Mediterraneo come principali importatori. In particolare, si prenderanno in considerazione Francia, Italia e Spagna, i principali Paesi europei che si affacciano sul Mediterraneo. Il documento si concentra sulle esportazioni e sulle importazioni di combustibili fossili, che rappresentano ancora le principali fonti energetiche utilizzate. Saranno inseriti riferimenti sul grado di dipendenza energetica dall'estero e sui cambiamenti dettati dalla necessità di far fronte al deficit di approvvigionamento dovuto al conflitto in Ucraina, che ha modificato i rapporti politici generali tra Paesi europei e Paesi stranieri. Il capitolo è strutturato come segue: la prima parte è dedicata al consumo attuale e futuro di fonti energetiche, seguita dagli effetti della recente pandemia e del conflitto russo-ucraino in corso. La sezione 3 esamina la regione MENA e il suo approvvigionamento di risorse. Infine, la sezione 4 si concentra sulla domanda di energia dei principali Paesi dell'Europa mediterranea, ovvero Francia, Italia e Spagna, e sulle loro relazioni con i Paesi dell'area MENA.
EU energy dependency on oil and natural gas imports and security of energy supplies: the current situation and possible developments in times of uncertainty caused by the pandemic and the Russian-Ukrainian war
Giovanni Canitano
2023
Abstract
With its strategic geographic position and concentration of energy sources, the Mediterranean basin plays a key role in energy provision for countries worldwide. Trade from the MENA region, noted for its rich oil and natural gas reserves, crosses the Mediterranean, bound especially towards EU member states, some of its main customers [Forte and Canitano 2019]. This paper investigates the development of the trade in energy sources in the most recent years, taking into account the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. Moreover, it extends its focus to future scenarios, studying in depth the consumption trends not only of fossil fuels but also of renewable energy. The study involves countries of the MENA region as the main energy providers, and European countries along the Mediterranean basin as the main importers. Specific consideration will be given to France, Italy and Spain as major European countries overlooking the Mediterranean. The paper focuses on the exports and imports of fossil fuels, since they still represent the principle energy sources used. References will be included about the degree of energy dependency on foreign countries and the changes dictated by the need to deal with the supply shortfall due to the conflict in Ukraine which has modified general political relationships between European countries and foreign countries. The chapter is structured as follows: the first part is devoted to the current and future consumption of energy sources followed by the effects of the recent pandemic and the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian conflict. Section 3 examines the MENA region and its resource provision and supply. Finally, section 4 focuses on the energy demand of the main Mediterranean European countries, namely France, Italy and Spain, and their relations with MENA countries.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.