Understanding planetary security: a post-humanist paradigm in approaching energy security and climate crisis

Abstract

This study aims to problematize the linkage between energy and security in the context of climate crisis. This study provides a brief history of energy alterations through a comparative analysis of pre-industrial and industrial times and then, investigates the position and referent objects of the concept of energy security in International Relations paradigms. This study examines both traditional and contemporary approaches to the concept of energy security within the scope of realist, liberal and environmental security paradigms. This study asserts that neither traditional approaches in terms of national security, military security and economic growth nor contemporary approaches in terms of environmental security and human security can be effective in providing integrated and universal referent paradigm for the concept of energy security. Therefore, this study proposes the concept of planetary security as an alternative referent paradigm for the relationship between energy security and climate crisis. The main idea is that the concept of planetary security can provide integrated and universal framework for energy security policies. The concept of planetary security can provide normative and conceptual clarifications for energy security policies. Securitization of the planet can encourage a critical re-evaluation for the referent positions of nation states and human beings in the context of energy security.