Index Links between national security and energy and environmental issues Considering an additional resource: fresh waterThe prospects for the depletion of natural resourcesGiven that natural resources are rapidly depleted at globally, only the extreme areas of the Arctic, the areas of Africa and the ocean floor remain, in what Michael Klare calls “the world's last frontier”. These virtually unexplored areas of the earth are now sought after by the largest and most powerful consumers of natural resources. The exploitation of natural resources in these regions presents several unique challenges regarding resource access, extraction, political implications, impacts on indigenous peoples, and conflicts within the region. Throughout the book, Klare discusses several key resource topics and explains how each dynamic is intertwined with the political dynamics of countries vying for these natural resources. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay To set the stage, the first chapter explains that the depletion of oil, natural gas, minerals, and agricultural land has left countries quickly scrambling to find previously unknown resources. The topic of deep and offshore drilling for oil and gas in chapter two highlights the risks associated with extraction and shows how accidents can devastate the environment, as was the case with the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in April 2010. Various policy implications mentioned in chapter three have accelerated the race between the United States, Canada, Norway, and Russia, five countries all seeking to stake national claims to undiscovered natural resources in the Arctic. As easy-to-extract oil and natural gas become depleted, more complex extraction methods using tar sands, shale gas, and other unconventional hydrocarbons are being used as alternatives, as explained in chapter four. Additionally, chapter five highlights the pursuit of additional mining opportunities that present geopolitical and security concerns in countries such as Guinea and Afghanistan. As Chapter Six notes, China is the leading producer of rare earth minerals used for multiple technological applications. This presents concerns for the global economy as China controls supply with far-reaching economic implications. Chapter seven outlines the ways in which climate change has affected agricultural land in many countries that are now seeking opportunities to produce food sources in other countries through “land grab” deals. Finally, Klare notes that a nation's wealth and power on the world stage often determines its ability to sustain and obtain natural resources, as a country that is unable to maintain or adapt natural resources will likely enter into conflict in attempting to obtain them. Links between national security and energy and environmental issues National security is closely linked to both energy and environmental issues, as many nations compete for a limited amount of resources as global demand increases and supply decreases. Klare calls the race for these resources “the world's final frontier,” and the depletion of the last resource reserves will force consuming powers into a competitive struggle that could lead to territorial disputes and conflict. With in-depth examples, the author links national security to environmental issues surrounding the exploration of energy resources. The most compelling case involves climate change and melting.