Earth Wars

A fascinating insight into the global battle for our energy future The global competition for scarce natural resources that pits the West against the super-hot economies of China and India, plus a clutch of other contenders including Russia, Brazil, and Indonesia, has become one of the biggest issues facing the world today. Whether it is the rare metal lithium found in salt pans in the Andes, gas from the Caspian Sea, oil off the coast of Brazil, coal from Africa's Zambezi River, or uranium from Kazakhstan, China and India are desperate to ensure the security of their future energy supplies. The same goes for food and water, as contamination and over-use take their toll, the need to provide continued access for the next generation and beyond has increased exponentially. In Earth Wars: The Battle for Global Resources, international business journalist Geoff Hiscock explores the problems, potential solutions, and inevitable tensions in this ongoing scramble for finite natural resources. Going beyond "e;big power"e; politics to explore resource ownership and the use of innovative technology to get the most out of them, the book takes a forward-looking approach to this pressing issue. Written in clear, jargon-free language, it tells the global resources story in a fresh and engaging way that anyone can understand. Includes insightful, up-to-the-minute coverage of the most pressing debates over resource allocations Discusses the major Chinese and Indian businesses that are just becoming known to those in the West (Sinopec, CNOOC, CNPC, Indian Oil, ONGC, Reliance, Coal India, SAIL, and many others) Presents resource- and region-specific chapters to help readers view the pertinent issues from multiple angles As the economies of China and India grow to challenge those of the West, the battle over natural resources will continue to heat up. Earth Wars looks at this very real problem in-depth, presenting a definitive look at one of the greatest challenges of our time.

A fascinating insight into the global battle for our energy futureThe global competition for scarce natural resources that pits the West against the super-hot economies of China and India, plus a clutch of other contenders including Russia, Brazil, and Indonesia, has become one of the biggest issues facing the world today. Whether it is the rare metal lithium found in salt pans in the Andes, gas from the Caspian Sea, oil off the coast of Brazil, coal from Africa's Zambezi River, or uranium from Kazakhstan, China and India are desperate to ensure the security of their future energy supplies. The same goes for food and water, as contamination and over-use take their toll, the need to provide continued access for the next generation and beyond has increased exponentially. In Earth Wars: The Battle for Global Resources, international business journalist Geoff Hiscock explores the problems, potential solutions, and inevitable tensions in this ongoing scramble for finite natural resources.Going beyond "big power" politics to explore resource ownership and the use of innovative technology to get the most out of them, the book takes a forward-looking approach to this pressing issue. Written in clear, jargon-free language, it tells the global resources story in a fresh and engaging way that anyone can understand.* Includes insightful, up-to-the-minute coverage of the most pressing debates over resource allocations* Discusses the major Chinese and Indian businesses that are just becoming known to those in the West (Sinopec, CNOOC, CNPC, Indian Oil, ONGC, Reliance, Coal India, SAIL, and many others)* Presents resource- and region-specific chapters to help readers view the pertinent issues from multiple anglesAs the economies of China and India grow to challenge those of the West, the battle over natural resources will continue to heat up. Earth Wars looks at this very real problem in-depth, presenting a definitive look at one of the greatest challenges of our time.

Maps viiIntroduction xvChapter 1 The Four Essentials 1 Food, Water, EnergyMetalsChapter 2 Geographical Flashpoints 19The Trouble with Lines on a MapChapter 3 The Key Players 37Diggers, Drillers, and DealersChapter 4 Food and Water 57Where the Rivers RunChapter 5 "Going Out" for Energy 73China and India Stake Their ClaimsChapter 6 Old Coal Still Burning Brightly 91Chapter 7 Going Nuclear in a Post-Fukushima World 105Chapter 8 New Energy--Clean, Green, and Expensive123Chapter 9 Coppery Red, the Colour of Earth's True Love139Chapter 10 Finding Steel's Essential Ingredients155Chapter 11 U.S. Energy 173Hail to the ShaleChapter 12 Japan after the Deluge 189Chapter 13 BRACQK (Brazil, Russia, Australia, Canada, QatarKazakhstan) Is the New BRIC 203Chapter 14 The Up and Comers 229Turkey, Iran, Indonesia, MexicoChapter 15 What Happens Next 243A Host of Global OpportunitiesConclusion 257A World So ChangedBibliography 263Acknowledgments 269About the Author 273Index 275