Prologue

A comprehensive study of the geopolitical, security, economic, and environmental future of a major game-changing phenomenon—the alternative energy megatrend.This is not another alternative energy study. Rather, The Prologue identifies and charts the security-related trajectory of a relatively new global phenomenon: the ascent of alternative energy as a 21st century megatrend. Why and how have contemporary alternative energy developments evolved into a 21st century global socio-political and techno-economic megatrend? What are the security implications of this megatrend? And what does the megatrend’s evolution reveal about upcoming geopolitical, energy, defense, environmental, and economic security challenges? This book endeavors to answer these questions by establishing the conceptual framework of a universally securitized world in which mutually interacting threats have expanded the needs and security considerations of today’s globalized and interdependent actors, including states, international organizations, multinational corporations, and political and social movements. “Alexander Mirtchev’s sweeping exploration of the changing energy landscape looks far into the future and outlines issues that will occupy scholars and policymakers for decades to come.”—The Hon. Henry Kissinger, Chairman, Kissinger Associates, Former Secretary of State and National Security Advisor “With the advancements in alternative energy technology at the beginning of the 21st century, energy security thinking and planning will never be the same—Alexander Mirtchev’s profoundly original book reveals these new dilemmas that will challenge policymakers in all major economies and provides for dealing with the new realities in a smart way.”—The Hon. Judge William H. Webster, Chairman, Homeland Security Advisory Council, Former Director of the CIA and FBI

"Alexander Mirtchev's sweeping exploration of the changing energy landscape looks far into the future and outlines issues that will occupy scholars and policymakers for decades to come." , "With the advancements in alternative energy technology at the beginning of the 21st century, energy security thinking and planning will never be the same—Alexander Mirtchev's profoundly original book reveals these new dilemmas that will challenge policy makers in all major economies and provides for dealing with the new realities in a smart way.", "Alexander Mirtchev's work is an impressive and comprehensive study of the geo-political, security, economic, and environmental impacts of the alternative energy trend. The accelerating development of alternative energy, as this book shows, is a geo-political game-changing phenomenon. The new Great Energy Game will have a greater influence on global affairs in the 21st century than Star Wars did in the 20th." , "The development of alternative energies is now sufficiently advanced, at least in terms of promise, to influence the 'global security equation,' making the book The Prologue a timely one indeed." , "Alexander Mirtchev's book is an amazing study that has succeeded in breaking through the complexities of the current alternative energy development and strategies, highlighting the major policy challenges—energy independence, environmental and economic security, and defense, nuclear proliferation and geopolitical considerations, and putting forward pragmatic and smart methodology for addressing the planned, as well as the unintended and the unforeseen." 

Prof. Dr. Alexander V. Mirtchev is a U.S. academic, business executive, and author. He is a Distinguished Visiting Professor at the SCHAR School of Policy and Government at George Mason University. Mirtchev serves as a vice chair of the Atlantic Council of the United States, where he is also a member of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee He is a member of the James Madison Council at the Library of Congress. Mirtchev was a Senior fellow and member of the Wilson National Cabinet at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars where he is a founding member of the Council to the Kissinger Institute on China and the U.S. He also served as a Vice-President of the Royal United Services Institute for Defense and Security (RUSI), the UK global security think tank, and was the Executive Chairman of RUSI International.