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Energy and Environment Program

Global Forum on Energy, Economy and Security

In 2005, the Aspen Forum on Global Energy, Economy and Security spun off from the Aspen Institute's long-running Energy Policy Forum to allow a more concentrated focus on international oil and gas and their relationship to economic and security issues. Now, the Global Forum attracts about 50 US and international leaders, primarily from industry and government, for a dialogue around the complex and interconnected realms of energy, economy, and security. Each year’s Forum has a different and focused theme.

In July 2011 the Forum examined “Global Energy Markets in a Time of Political Change.” Political changes in the U.S., inaction on climate change legislation, a slow economic recovery, fiscal problems in the U.S. and Europe, developments in unconventional oil and gas resources, various improvements and setbacks in global oil production prospects, and the potential for alternative transportation fuels and greater vehicle fuel efficiency have influenced the near-term discussion but not the underlying challenges of energy supply and security. Bill White, former Deputy Secretary of Energy and former Mayor of Houston, chaired the Forum. Download the body of the report.

The 6th annual Global Energy Forum in 2010 examined the recent dramatic increase in shale gas production brought about by advances in horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing. The discussion included geopolitical issues that could be influenced by greater gas supply, the potential for increased U.S. gas demand, and the impact of possible climate change legislation. The Forum was chaired by John Deutch, Institute Professor at MIT and former Undersecretary of Energy, Deputy Secretary of Defense, and Director of Central Intelligence. Download the body of the report.





The 2009 Forum explored “Oil and Gas in a Changing World,” reflecting the turmoil in the industry caused by the severe economic recession and highly volatile oil and gas prices. Topics included the dramatic increase in U.S. gas reserves as a result of production of gas from shale, the potential for improved efficiency to reduce demand for oil, and the prospects for various alternative fuels and automotive technologies. The Forum co-chairs were Luis Giusti, Senior Advisor to CSIS and former CEO of PDVSA, and Joseph A. Stanislaw, independent senior advisor to Deloitte LLP and CEO of The JAStanislaw Group. Download the body of report.
In 2008 the Forum asked "How Will Supply Meet Demand?" with growing concern about the world's ability to meet projected demand growth for oil and natural gas in a secure, lower carbon way, a diverse group of experts explored questions of global and U.S. supply and demand, the prospects of alternative transportation fuels, the economic impacts of high energy prices, and the challenges of improving energy security. The Forum was chaired by John Deutch, Institute Professor at MIT and former Undersecretary of Energy, Deputy Secretary of Defense and Director of Central Intelligence. Dowload table of contents, foreword, agenda and participants. Download body of report.

The 2007 Forum, “Toward a Global Gas Market,” considered how increasing trade in liquefied natural gas is changing regional gas markets into global markets. Chaired by former Secretary of Energy and Defense James R. Schlesinger, the diverse group also explored projections of gas demand, the global resource base, the impacts of technological advances on future production, and the geopolitical and national political issues that can affect supply. Download contents, introduction and summary, agenda, and participants. Download body of report.

Energy Markets & Global Politics, is the report of the second annual Global Forum on Energy, Economy and Security. Growing demand and competition for oil and gas supplies, war or instability in some producing regions, and the increasing threat of the use of energy as a political weapon focused the world’s attention on energy markets and global politics. A group of industry leaders and policy experts, chaired by former U.S. Senator J. Bennett Johnston, was convened in Aspen in July 2006 to explore issues at the intersection of energy, economics, geopolitics, and security. This report discusses changes in oil and gas markets, national and regional strategic considerations, refinery economics and capacity, and transportation fuels and technologies. Download Part I. Download Part II. Download report cover only (PDF).

The New Energy Security is the report of the first annual Forum, held in Aspen October 14-17, 2005. Co-chaired by James R. Schlesinger, former US Secretary of Defense and Energy, and Luis Giusti, Senior Advisor at CSIS and former CEO of Petroléos de Venezuela, experts discussed recent increases in oil and gas prices, global competition for reserves, debates about whether oil production will peak soon, growth in demand in China and India, prospects for increased production in Saudi Arabia and Russia, US reliance on LNG imports to meet gas demand growth, and the links between globalized energy markets and perceptions of national security. Download report cover only (PDF).