Hosted by the UM College of Arts & Sciences’ Department of International Studies, the two-day conference featured panel presentations from academics all over the world addressing how the declining fall of oil prices will have either a positive or negative impact on the world economy.
From topics addressing how some countries in the Western Hemisphere are less affected by the drop in oil prices (i.e. the United States, Central America, Canada) to issues of sustainable development, the key purpose of the conference was to develop a conversation among academic scholars and business leaders to look at how countries are affected by the decline in the price of oil; if alternative forms of energy will be affected by the decline and how this will influence political stability or instability for a number of countries around the world.
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The findings will be published in a volume study entitled: After the Fall: Energy Security, Sustainable Development and the Environment.
“What we are interested in, both for this conference and for the volume, is that people take a look at the degrees of dependence on petroleum exports or imports, and they examine the consequences for both sustainable development and for environmental policy, including those of climate change,” said Dr. Bruce Bagley, professor of international studies.
This interdisciplinary forum is an example of the College’s goal to continue collaborating with today’s brightest minds to address global issues.
Photo caption: The energy forum kicks off with introductory remarks from (R to L): Dr. Bruce Bagley, professor of international studies; Dr. Bryan Page, Director INS Interdisciplinary program; Dina Moulioukova, research assistant at the European Union Center and Ph.D. student at the Department of International Studies; and visiting Professor Hanna Kassab, Northern Michigan University.
October 20, 2015
