Columbia | SIPA Center on Global Energy Policy

The United States currently maintains an asymmetric advantage in the application of economic pressure on partners and adversaries to achieve its national goals, based on its immense economy and position in the middle of the world’s economic activity. But, it is not certain that this advantage will persist in the future or that it will be as strong, as other countries expand and develop economically. This issue brief, authored by Richard Nephew, Program Director for Economic Statecraft, Sanctions and Energy Markets at the Center on Global Energy Policy, argues that the United States should consider the possibility and implications of such a global environment and adjust its sanctions policies accordingly. Nephew is a former director for Iran at the U.S. National Security Council and was a member of the U.S. nuclear negotiating team with Iran from August 2013 to December 2014. The views expressed here are his own.

Today the Center on Global Energy Policy released a new study, The Renewable Fuel Standard: A Path Forward, authored by Dr. James Stock, a former Member of the President’s Council of Economic Advisers and now a Harvard economist and non-resident Fellow at the Center.

This issue brief, authored by Richard Nephew, Program Director for Economic Statecraft, Sanctions and Energy Markets at the Center on Global Energy Policy, examines the possible application of new sanctions against Iran if a deal is not achievable between Iran and the P5+1. Nephew concludes that new sanctions would be a far riskier strategy to pursue than a successful negotiation and outlines the best way to design a sanctions regime if, unfortunately, it is needed. The brief reviews the logic of sanctions and how they can be best calibrated to achieve desired effects, drawing on lessons from past sanctions experience. Nephew is a former director for Iran at the U.S. National Security Council and was a member of the U.S. nuclear negotiating team with Iran from August 2013 to December 2014. The views expressed here are his own.

Today the Center on Global Energy Policy released a new study, "The US Shale Gas Revolution and its Impact on Qatar's Position in Gas Markets", that examines how Qatar may be impacted by major changes to the global LNG market, especially the development of US LNG exports, what those changes mean for Qatar’s revenues and the options it has to respond to new global competition. The study, a collaboration with the Oxford Energy Institute for Energy Studies, was co-authored by Bassam Fattouh, Howard Rogers and Peter Stewart.

Sanctions imposed by the United States and its partners against Iran’s oil sector have had a major impact in debilitating both the sector itself and the broader economy. It is likely that this sector will be the target of additional pressure should the international sanctions campaign against Iran be renewed in full. This issue brief, authored by Richard Nephew, Program Director for Economic Statecraft, Sanctions and Energy Markets at the Center on Global Energy Policy, examines the recent history of Iran oil sanctions and seeks to draw lessons for their renewed application.

As the debate around US crude oil exports grows and Pemex is reported to have sought a license to export crude to the US as part of an exchange, the Center on Global Energy Policy today released a new issue brief that examines the potential for crude exchanges from the Mexican perspective, including the reasons Mexico might seek additional supplies and under what conditions it would make sense. The brief was authored by Center Fellow Adrian Lajous, who served as the Director General of Pemex (CEO) and Chairman of the boards of the Pemex group of operating companies from 1994 to 1999. The views expressed are those of the author.

The steep decline in crude prices over the past five months has put a spotlight on many oil exporting countries and the pressures they face due to lower revenues. As part of the Center on Global Energy Policy’s examination of the effect of lower prices on the global economy and geopolitics, Center Fellow Adrian Lajous explored the implications for Mexico in the following policy brief. Mr. Lajous served as the Director General of Pemex (CEO) and Chairman of the boards of the Pemex group of operating companies from 1994 to 1999. The views expressed here are those of the author.

For the United States, new questions are emerging about the economic impact of lower oil prices. The US is now the world’s largest petroleum producer and consumer, so lower prices creates both economic winners and losers. This policy brief explores the overall economic impacts of a sharp drop in oil prices for the United States.

A combination of slowing global demand, recovering Libyan output, and strong US supply growth has caused a steep decline in oil prices. Many oil market participants are now eyeing OPEC, and specifically Saudi Arabia, to see if it will reduce production in order to support oil prices. Robert McNally, fellow for the Center on Global Energy Policy and President of The Rapidan Group, explores this complex issue and its repercussions in the following policy brief. The views expressed are his own.