Since the potential connection between jihadist extremists and nuclear weapons creates a particularly dangerous threat, this will hopefully create a powerful incentive to revive non-proliferation policy, to deal with the critical cases of Iran and North Korea and to seek a dialogue with moderate Islam in order to isolate extremists. On non-proliferation, as noted before, considerable differences exist among the big powers whereas a dialogue with moderate Islam has not even begun in a meaningful way.
Global Warming and Resource Shortages
As a result of industrialization and development in the Third World, notably in Asia with China and India in the lead, the demands on energy resources and raw materials increase as incessantly as does the burden on the environment, in particular on the world's climate. Though there are sufficient energy resources and raw materials for the immediate future, price increases, interruptions in the wake of political crises and temporary shortages are likely. Given the considerable differences in resource ownership and import dependence among big powers these issues will increasingly affect their respective power positions and the quest for influence. The competition among big powers for these resources will be a defining element of international politics in the 21st century.