Conflict between Russia and Georgia adds new twist to the energy war

August 20, 2008

The recent Russia-Georgia conflict has all the hallmarks of a typical energy war, according to Strauss Fellow Michael Webber in an Austin American-Statesman opinion piece on August 17. Russia’s emergence as an energy-producing powerhouse has put America and the European Union in a difficult position with regards to this current conflict.

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Europe’s Geopolitical Dilemma 

  • March 6, 2026
  • Energy & Security

Strauss Center Distinguished Scholar Joshua Busby recently co-authored a piece in The National Interest titled “No Easy Solutions to Europe’s Geopolitical Trilemma.”  Busy examines the mounting strategic pressures facing the European Union as it seeks defense, economic, and energy autonomy amid growing uncertainty from Russia, China, and the United States. “Thankfully for Europe, it is wealthy enough to continue restricting...

Call for Papers: Critical Minerals, National Security, & the Clean Energy Transition

  • January 7, 2025
  • Energy & Security

Are you a current student (undergraduate or graduate) at the University of Texas at Austin, the Colorado School of Mines, or the U.S. Naval War College with an interest in critical minerals, national security, and the clean energy transition? You're eligible to write an essay of no more than 2,000 words on this topic for a $3,500 prize. The subject...

Busby Discusses Energy Security on Podcast

  • August 28, 2024
  • Energy & Security

Dr. Joshua Busby, the former Senior Advisor for Climate at the U.S. Department of Defense and a Distinguished Scholar at the Strauss Center, recently spoke on The India Energy Hour Podcast, addressing questions regarding India’s energy security while phasing down inefficient coal power plants. “If the international community truly prioritizes a clean energy transition in the Global South, including but not limited to India,...