“Contrary to Greek Commitment, Turkey Restarts Offshore Oil Exploration.” World Oil – Upstream News, www.worldoil.com/news/2020/8/7/contrary-to-greek-commitment-turkey-restarts-offshore-oil-exploration.
Turkey has recently sent drilling rigs to explore oil reserves in Mediterranean waters right off the coast of the smaller Greek island of Kastellorizo, fueling tensions between the two NATO members. The Turkish government has thrown away Greece’s claim to the waters, which is backed by the United Nations Law of the Sea. Turkey declared that its exclusive economic zone will not be limited to only a couple of miles off the coast. They followed the statement by claiming these waters fall under their “rightful” jurisdiction, and said they will begin surveying the seabed for energy reserves. Greece responded to Ankara’s rhetoric by threatening war, a worrying development for the future of the region. Although German Chancellor Angela Merkel attempted to mediate, Turkey has resumed its surveying activities.
Yet another example of how the environment can alter international relations, the conflict between Turkey and Greece is a worrying development for the future of Eurasia. And as resources continue to decline, the races to utilize them will only grow in intensity. Wealth is alluring to national leaders, and can that lead to serious international conflict. Jurisdictional problems complicate matters, and with limited enforcement power and clear guidelines from the UN, it can turn ugly. The ease with which Turkey has declared the United Nations Law of the Seas null is a scary prospect for the future resource conflicts that are inevitable. It turns the situation into one that is either determined by cooperation or power and force. For example, the control of a water supply essential to the food of a billion people as water declines between India and Pakistan is shaping a growing conflict in Jammu and Kashmir. As resources continue to decline and countries become more desperate to hold them, it’s more important than ever to develop clear guidelines that would resolve such issues. The way countries across the globe choose to utilize these resources will ultimately affect the environment. Drilling in the Mediteranean could cause oil spills, and will further the supply of oil, contribute to cheap prices, distract from investment in green technology, and lead to more CO2 in the atmosphere.
I am surprised that Turkey would attempt taking parts of the Mediterranean since they would be breaking UN laws. This does not seem smart since the UN is made up of many nations, so they are powerful. Since UN laws are on Greece’s side, I would assume that Greece would get most of the UN’s support which would be a problem for Turkey. It would also be disappointing if war occurred because it would likely occur in the Mediterranean, and the Mediterranean is important for both trade and travel. It would likely be more dangerous and more limited, so this would impact a lot of people. How likely is it that war will occur?
The UN doesn’t have that much enforcement power so as long as individual countries/NATO doesn’t take a stand it doesn’t mean too much. I doubt we would see an actual war break out over this, and the rhetoric seems more like saber-rattling than declarative. But Erdogan has been pretty aggressive ever since the failed coup, and not only in the Mediterranean.