Today’s society is totally dependent on power for virtually everything that we do. Power is needed for all industrial and farming activities that form the backbone of economic activity. The simple electrical lighting that illuminates the room at the flick of a switch and clean running water will cease to exist the minute power fails. Cars, trains, buses and planes will not operate. Life will be a total standstill. Young urbanites who have never experience nights with candles and cooking with firewood will be incapacitated when power is gone. Without power, life will not be the same again.
Power is derived primarily from coal, oil, gas and nuclear materials. According to the World Coal Association, coal provides around 30% of global primary energy needs, generates 41% of the world’s electricity and is used in the production of 70% of the world’s steel. According to the World Factbook, statistics for the top ten producers of electricity, oil and gas are as follows:
Electricity Production
World Electricity Production
Crude Oil Production
World Crude Oil Production
Gas Production
World Gas Production
From these statistics, it can be seen which are the countries that have considerable energy resources. These countries hold tremendous power over the world. Wars have been waged over these precious commodities. As energy resources get depleted, major powers will not hesitate to use military or financial influence to seize control of the same. The Middle East conflicts are largely energy related. The current war going on in Ukraine is all about control not of Ukraine per se, but of her strategic importance as a major transit country for gas flowing to the EU countries.
With winter closing in soon, Ukraine will be faced with potential hardship if the energy life-line is severed by Russia. Gas is a huge trump card in the hands of Russia. The sanctions imposed by the Western bloc countries on Russia only exacerbate the energy crisis bearing on themselves as Russia turns to China and other countries who are only more eager to purchase these resources. Putin sealed a deal with China and has just launched the construction of the gas pipeline to China. The geo-political power balance of the world is tilting rapidly to the East as the West continues to impose high handed policies that are adverse to the two energy giants of the world – Russia and China. Energy is power, not rhetoric and hegemony.
Thine, O Lord is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all.
Thy word ..... 