The European Union sometimes earns well-deserved criticism for its foreign policy. But praise should be given where praise is deserved – and the EU’s latest effort to target Iran with tough autonomous sanctions is one such case. Clearly, the measures the EU adopted on July 26 can be further expanded. More can be done.

If Europe and the United States get serious about sanctions enforcement, the Iranian regime could find itself without the energy know-how to keep its critical oil and natural gas sectors running.

The Atlantic Council of the United States, the Prague Security Studies Institute, and the Clingendael International Energy Program at the Netherlands Institute for International Relations held a dialogue of government, industry and non-governmental policy experts on June 16-18, 2010 in Prague, Czech Republic.

The explosion on Transocean's Deepwater Horizon rig in the Gulf of Mexico and subsequent torrent of oil pouring into the gulf could be the United States' worst environmental catastrophe.

On May 26, the Energy and Environment Program at the Atlantic Council hosted a conference call to release the report Developing a Realistic and Balanced United States Electric Power Portfolio.  The call featured General Richard Lawson, Vice-Chairman of the Atlantic Council, and the Honorable David Garman, Former Under Secretary of Energy who is currently with Decker Garman Sullivan and Associates, LLC.

As the United States faces increasing concerns over environmental degradation and energy security, policy makers must be aware of the effect today’s energy portfolio will have on future generations.  This report provides recommendations as to how the United States can develop a realistic electricity generation portfolio over the next four decades in such a way as to protect its energy, national, economic and environmental interests.  This document concludes that, despite a number of challenges, the US must make a concerted effort to restructure its electric power generation portfolio.

It wasn’t supposed to happen. Oil rigs have devices known as blowout preventers that are supposed to stop the oil flows when incidents like the explosion occur. No less disconcerting, it is still not clear why the device did not activate to prevent what appears to be a growing environmental disaster.

Strategy is a roadmap that individuals, organizations, and countries use to advance interests over time. At a minimum, strategy is designed to prevent anticipated tragedies (such as conflict over a disputed territory) or at least be prepare for when tragedy strikes (e.g., humanitarian assistance after an earthquake). When it comes to climate change, emerging strategies are visible.