Risks of, and responses to, the new fossil fuel economy

It will catalog and assess the risks of unconventional gas and oil development, as well as new coal trade infrastructure, with respect to greenhouse emissions and local livelihoods in developing countries. It will identify and focus on “hot spots” or “convergence zones” where countries pursuing green growth initiatives may also face decisions on whether or how to develop sizeable new fossil fuel resources.

The project will explore potential policy and other responses that various stakeholders, including policy-makers, NGOs, and multilateral/bilateral institutions can take to minimize these risks associated with potential fossil resource development, and provide resources for stakeholders to respond to these risks.

Likely case studies include the risks of oil shale developments in North Africa, North America, and the Middle East, benefiting from Estonian knowledge and experience (SEI-Tallinn) and the risks of developing new coal resources and transportation routes in the Pacific and North Asia region (in collaboration with the China Cluster).