A groundbreaking analysis of what the changes in American energy mean for the economy, national security, and the environment, authored by one of America's most prominent experts on energy's role in the world.

What is energy security? On April 12-13, the Council on Foreign Relations convened academics, policymakers, and industry experts to assess the security implications of the way the world produces and consumes oil and natural gas. The workshop aimed to explore important issues at the intersection of oil, gas, and national security, and identify areas for future research. The first day focused on assessing the state of knowledge on energy and security, while the second explored U.S. policy options going forward. This summary report presents a broad agenda for energy security research that emerged from the meeting.

Michael A. Levi discusses oil supply projections by the Energy Information Association.

The worst oil spill in U.S. history, still growing in the Gulf of Mexico, has intensified debate about alternative fuel options. Here, four experts discuss how to reduce U.S. oil consumption.

The nuclear fuel-swap agreement announced in Tehran put the United States in a bind. Contrary to its sponsors' intentions, it will not improve confidence between the United States and Iran, writes CFR's Michael Levi.

The Gulf of Mexico oil spill is not just a problem to clean up, says CFR's Michael Levi, it has serious commercial implications for some oil firms and has dimmed the prospects of U.S. climate legislation.

Michael A. Levi argues that while President Obama's efforts toward nuclear security are laudable, total security around nuclear materials cannot be attained.

Michael A. Levi says that while President Obama's plan to reduce nuclear weapons is generally a  step in the right direction, a complete reduction of nuclear dangers will depend on efforts largely beyond the new strategy's scope.

Michael A. Levi and Katherine Michonski discuss the consequences of the World Bank's refusal to fund a controversial coal-fired power plant in South Africa.

The Obama administration's Nuclear Posture Review charts new positions on potential targets of U.S. atomic weapons, preventing proliferation, and developing new weapons, says CFR's Michael Levi.

President Barack Obama's move to expand oil and gas drilling in U.S. coastal waters aims mainly to build political support for his energy agenda, but will have limited impact on oil markets, writes CFR's Michael Levi.

Most discussions about using international institutions to address climate change focus narrowly on the work of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. However, many other international institutions also have a significant role to play in mitigating and adapting to the effects of climate change. This paper examines the existing climate-related efforts and capabilities, as well as the future potential, of a variety of international institutions, including those that deal with environment, energy, and economics. While there are still major shortfalls, the paper argues that there is significant existing institutional capacity to draw from in addressing climate change.

With some findings of the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in question, four experts debate how much the premier climate science review panel may need to make changes.

The UN nuclear agency's new concerns about Iranian nuclear weaponization bolster the move toward sanctions but may do little to halt Tehran's activities, writes CFR's Michael Levi.

President Barack Obama's first State of the Union address focused heavily, as expected, on domestic economic recovery and reasserting U.S. competitiveness. Six CFR experts noted different aspects of the challenges facing Obama.

Micah Zenko and Michael A. Levi argue that the United States must change how it handles its nuclear arsenal.

Frank E. Loy and Michael Levi defend the so-called "Copenhagen Accord,"as "a serious step forward, if a severely limited one."

CFR's Michael Levi says the Copenhagen climate deal is a meaningful step forward but that its ultimate value remains to be determined.

Michael Levi declares that "The UN process can no longer be the central focus of global efforts to confront climate change."

Michael Levi answers reader questions about the Copenhagen conference and what comes next for international climate negotiations.