Geopolitics & natural resources report

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Therefore, we will focus on the genesis of these conflicts to understand where they came from and the motivations associated with these numerous tensions. However, we will limit our study to the period of the 1970s, when the first intense tensions between countries and upon oil appeared, until our days. During the 1970s, the question of environmental impacts also arises, which lead to a new issue related to natural resources: sustainable development, which aims to preserve the environment and transmit a "healthy" world to future generations. Thus, in the first part, we will focus on the interests that presents the appropriation of natural resources for a nation. Then, we will analyze the risks of tensions between nations linked to the different natural resources (hydraulics, oil, gas), and finally, we will focus on the strategic stakes of these resources. In a second part, we will concentrate on the main conflicts caused by the appropriation of raw materials and taking place during the period mentioned above.

I) Strategic stakes related to natural resources

First, we will focus on the interests of natural resources and what they represent on an international scale, then, we will note that these resources rise tensions between specific states to finally conclude with the strategic stakes that natural resources allow to evoke.

1) The interests of natural resources

Our planet is home to many unequally distributed natural resources across the planet. Some, such as water, food or wood, are crucial to the survival of all individuals. Moreover, these resources are not inexhaustible and still, they tend to reduce faster and faster. This phenomenon is in constant interdependence with the ever-increasing global population of the world, rising from 1 billion in 1800 to more than 7 billion today. It is even estimated that in 2050 the world population will reach 9 billion people. Just like populations, natural resources are unevenly distributed across the globe. While primary resources (coal, ore and oil) are mostly located in the countries of the South, the Northern countries have the financial and technological means to transform these materials into a high technology product. Moreover, the largest part of the population is located in the Southern regions, so this misallocation could cause tensions between individuals all over the globe. Indeed, the increasing depletion of our resources will force certain regions of the world to become increasingly dependent on others to continue to supply its population with vital resources and so, be able to continue to live. Concerning a long-term approach, the risk is that the countries that still have vital resources will be able to impose very high prices when the demand increases for countries in need. Life could somehow become the object of a trade. If this were the case, we may think that this situation could lead to a rise of individualism and selfishness among the individuals of the different countries or it could create tensions or conflicts between them. Even if it can be considered that the location of resources such as a river or a forest is independent of the will of the people, it would be necessary to do with it and to harmonize the will of all individuals. Consequently, natural resources would be saved from all waste and we would satisfy the primary needs of individuals as long as possible, while allowing time for land to renew its resources. However, is this really possible?

During the second half of the twentieth century, the problem has already been studied by the international community, which has founded, under the instigation of certain governments, the Club of Rome in order to see if there are limits to economic growth. In 1972, a first published report confers that the evolution of the population is directly linked to the natural resources and to their locations. As a result, if economic growth continues, there may be a sudden drop in population due to pollution, depletion of cultivable soils or disappearance of fossil fuels, and so, populations may be confronted to a new crisis with potentially dramatic consequences. Consequently, the international community and the United Nations decided to continue their studies and they started to question environmental and natural resource issues in an effort to understand the impact at an international scale and on a long-term process. For example, in 1987 the international community introduced the notion of sustainable development to highlight the need for present generations to produce and consume responsibly without compromising the needs of future generations. Even though, the problem is more about ecology than the economy, nevertheless, it remains a factor that can trigger tensions on the international scene due to non-respect with certain standards. In addition, with the growing economic power of Southern countries that began their industrial transition and with their high population growth (such as China, Brazil and India), the notion of sustainable development must be considered more than ever before and by all countries. Indeed, nations such as China and India are increasingly releasing waste and pollution into the atmosphere and increasing their consumption, which is still depleting natural resources. From an international perspective and for the United Nations, it has become necessary to regulate and control the transactions and uses of natural resources.

Thus, natural resources in their globality play a dual interest. On one hand, the vital resources which are intended to cover the primary and necessary needs of life are of primary interest to any nation wishing to prosper. On the other hand, from an ecological point of view, a reasoned consumption of our exhaustible resources is undeniably in our interest in order to offer a decent life to our future generations. However, it seems that geopolitics factors may rise tensions related to natural resources and between diverse countries all across the globe.

2) Natural resources: source of tension?

First, we will see how international governance is organized around the management of crises and new threats to the world since the end of the Cold War, then we will focus on the natural resources that are source of tension and their interests for the countries involved in the conflicts.

A) The change of NATO status

Since the end of the Second World War, and especially since the end of the Cold War, forms of conflict have largely evolved as well as the interests defended or sought after. Indeed, we could note the evolution of conflicts where the importance was the conquest of lands and strategic points during World War