Abstract
This article examines regional developments in the Eastern Mediterranean from 2010 to 2020, a period termed here “the Gas Decade” following substantial gas discoveries in Israeli and Cypriot waters between 2009 and 2011. The central argument is that these gas discoveries prompted maritime conflicts, with Turkey’s primary interest being regional maritime control more so than energy access. Turkey’s actions formed part of a systematic long-term strategy to prevent the enforcement of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in both the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean. The article employs quantitative analysis of gas reservoirs and consumption patterns among potential consumers in the Eastern Mediterranean and Europe, analyzing correlating events and policy responses initiated by Turkey and subsequently by Israel, Greece, Cyprus, and Egypt.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 377-400 |
| Number of pages | 24 |
| Journal | Journal of the Middle East and Africa |
| Volume | 16 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2025 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2025 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
UN SDGs
This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
-
SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy -
SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth
Keywords
- Energy politics
- International Law
- Turkey
- gas
- maritime strategy
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Cultural Studies
- History
- Sociology and Political Science
- Political Science and International Relations
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