Browsing by Subject "Energy Security"
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Item Open Access Corporate social responsibility implementation in Bakü-Tbilisi-Ceyhan project and community investment projects(Bilkent University, 2008) Kaya, BaskınThis thesis examines the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) implementation in Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) Project and Community Investment Projects (CIPs), the latter having been initiated as part of BTC project in Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey. It does so by conceptualizing the CSR implementation with extant approaches to CSR, namely as a combination of CSR as a socio-cognitive construction, CSR as a social function and CSR as a power relationship. It specifically focuses upon the CSR implementation in CIPs being underway in Ardahan, Kars and Erzincan/GümüĢhane provinces in Turkey. While assessing the CSR implementation in the Community Investment Projects, it focuses on their contribution to human development in project regions and, consequently, to energy security. Within the framework of new energy security paradigm in which security of iv the whole global energy infrastructure has become vital instead of a mere supply security, it puts an emphasis on corporations‘ responsibilities for improving human development in project regions. Similarly, instead of earlier development models in which concerns about economic development dominate the development agenda, a participatory community development model is being suggested for energy security and human development.Item Open Access Cyprus as an emerging player in the Eastern Mediterranean natural gas market: regional cooperation and prospects(Bilkent University, 2018-08) Poteau, SophieThis thesis analyzes the development of the Eastern Mediterranean natural gas market and the impact of regional conflicts on it. It will argue that the region is not stable enough to optimize its natural gas trade. As a matter of fact, the Cypriot conflict, as well as the Israeli-Lebanese conflict are preventing the region from fulfilling its economic potential and ambitions. Therefore, it is important for the region to solve its internal conflicts in order to make the natural gas benefit fairly to all the states involved in the market. The best way for the Eastern Mediterranean states to solve their conflicts is through regional cooperation. The European Union holds the power to influence the Eastern Mediterranean states towards regional cooperation. Indeed, the EU can provide incentives through the initiation of dialogue between countries, common projects and investments. In the Eastern Mediterranean natural gas trade from the producing states to Europe, Egypt could play the pivotal role of natural gas distribution platform at the crossroad between producing and consuming countries. The success of this project could lead to the economic development of Eastern Mediterranean states while providing the EU with a stronger energy security.Item Open Access EU energy security behavior : exploring the central motivation(Bilkent University, 2007) Balaban, GökçeThis thesis aims to understand energy security behavior of the EU in the light of two IR theoretical stances: rationalism-neo-realism and constructivism. In order to do that, the study targets the question: “What is the central motivation of EU energy security policies- norms or interests- and how the different IR theories of rationalism-neo-realism and constructivism can interpret EU energy security policies differently”. Power and wealth being the most crucial, interest-based policies refer to the efforts that will promote the material interests, disregarding the normative considerations. Norm-based policies, on the other hand, represent the policies which are resulted from the identity, norms and political culture, and which are sometimes taken at the expense of the material interests. Thus, this thesis proposes two contradictory impulses- interests and norms- for EU energy security behaviour, and tries to understand which one is dominant in energy security decision-making process. Relying on official EU documents and on literature works, this study reaches to the conclusion that in environmental topics, the EU is strongly committed to the norms. However, in the topics considering the supply security such as guaranteeing the present and future energy supplies, and energy diversification- the EU follows more interest-based policies. In conclusion, although the EU is the most committed actor to environmental protection in the world, a fully normative approach is still lacking in EU energy security behavior.Item Open Access The EU energy security considerations and Turkey's possible membership(Bilkent University, 2009) Tabak, AyşegülThis thesis aims to understand changing energy security considerations of the European Union and in this context Turkey’s increasing chance to be a European member. In order to do that, the study targets the question : “How did European energy security considerations enhance and how does this situation influence Turkey’s possible membership process, due to latter’s geo-strategic position?”. European Union, as the other import-energy dependent actors, has experienced the negative consequences of this dependency. Particulary, the energy’s being used as a political weapon has made the “energy security” more momentous for the Community. In this respect, energy security policies has attracted more attention. As a result of one of these policies, diversification, the Union has started to give more consideration to diversified energy suppliers and transit countries. Accordingly, Turkey has gained a significant attention as an iv important transit country, with the strategic position near to main energy suppliers. Thus, this thesis proposes that Turkey’s geo-strategic position will enhance Turkey’s significance for the Union and open the way for its Union membership. Relying on official EU documents and literature, this study reaches the conclusion that energy security is very important for the EU and in order to enhance its situation the Union will try its best. In this regard, Turkey’s religious and cultural diffrences seems to be less important than Union’s interests and thus Turkey has an enhanced possibility to be an EU member.Item Open Access European energy policy and Turkey's energy role : will the accession process be affected?(Bilkent University, 2010) Sever, Seda DuyguIncreasing concerns for energy security urge the European Union countries to develop common energy policies. In this respect, diversification of energy suppliers and transit routes emerges as the most feasible policy for the EU to address the problems arising out of its energy dependency. At this point, Turkey’s strategic geographical position offers an energy bridge which has the potential of linking the EU with diversified suppliers. This thesis, examines European efforts to create a common energy policy and Turkey’s role in European energy security strategies. Based on the views that Turkey’s energy bridge position will accelerate the accession process and will bring full membership, this study questions whether energy can really be a factor for Turkey’s membership. Taking into consideration the impact of the absorption capacity and negative European public support on the long candidacy of Turkey, in addition to the examination of relevant literature, the answer to this question is investigated through the analysis of European public opinion. Relying on official Turkish and EU documents, official statistics and annual Eurobarometer surveys, contrary to the expectations, the analysis reaches to the conclusion that for full membership, Turkey’s energy role for Europe is an important yet insufficient factor on its own.Item Open Access Exogenous shocks and governing energy security(Bilkent University, 2017-07) Diriöz, Ali OğuzThe research examines how governments maintain energy security when faced with exogenous shocks. The main focus of inquiry examines the relative influence of markets vs. geopolitics in the area of energy security using the comparative case studies of Turkey, France, and Netherlands, which are OECD economies and NATO members, but feature diverse settings and contexts as well as different energy mixes, geographies, and demographics. The research then inquires how these countries’ respective governments responded to four exogenous shocks: a) 2003 invasion of Iraq and ensuing oil price hike; b) Russia-Ukraine natural gas crisis of 2005/6; c) 2008 world economic crisis and ensuing extreme oil price fluctuations; d) 2011 Fukushima nuclear meltdown. It is argued that governments operate within two distinct decision time horizons to maintain energy security. The concept of “Term Structure Approach to Energy Security” is introduced, which refers to government’s capacity to respond to exogenous shocks within different time horizons. In the short term, governments cannot respond to vulnerabilities with optimum efficacy, so they seek palliative solutions. In the long term, governments develop a greater capacity to the area of energy security, to minimize vulnerabilities. Thus, governments implement different strategies associated with different term structures in responding to exogenous shocks to their energy security. Geopolitics and external adjustment (EGA) observed tend to be of long term, and set the structure within which markets operate. Therefore, system level influences are more observable in maintaining energy security.Item Open Access US democracy promotion and energy security after 9/11(Bilkent University, 2011) Mukhtar, Ali RezaThe objective of this thesis is to find out whether the US is also genuinely committed to promote democracy in those countries on which the US has oil dependency or does the US energy security interest eclipse its foreign policy principle of democracy promotion abroad after 9/11. The hypothesis of this research is that the US is less interested in promoting democracy in those countries on which the US has higher oil-dependency. Materialist theory of democracy promotion is used to drive this hypothesis. Two statistical methods are employed, i.e. (1) hypothesis testing by using t-test and (2) regression, to estimate the variation of the USAID democracy assistance in those countries on which the US has higher oil dependency compared with those countries on which the US has less or no oil dependency. The findings of this thesis show that the USAID spends, on average, less funding for democracy-related programmes in those countries on which the US has higher oil-dependency and vice versa. These results indicate that, although the US prioritized its democracy promotion after 9/11 in order to tackle the problem of iv terrorism, the US energy security remains the prime concern for which the US compromises on its foreign policy principle of democracy promotion abroad.