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Whatever glossy expressions we use in describing an energy strategy, at the end of the day it all boils down to the ability to provide our citizens and companies with a secure and clean supply of energy at affordable prices in order to preserve our standards of living. At the same time, the negative effects of energy use, particularly with fossil fuels, on the environment have to be effectively mitigated. That is why Turkey’s energy strategy must focus on creating an internationally competitive energy market offering quality service at low prices, enhancing the contribution of renewables and indigenous energy sources, reducing dependence on imported fuels, supporting new technologies, and doing more with a lower consumption of energy. Back in April 2010 when we accepted the invitation from Insight Turkey to produce this special energy issue, we expected this would be a challenging and exciting project. We have not been disappointed. During the two months we have worked on this issue, we have been exposed to a wide range of thoughts and opinions, many of which have been quite different from our own. We have been challenged in so many different ways to review, justify or change our perceptions and opinions about the role energy plays in our global society. We have come to better understand the different peoples of our domain, their aspirations, their fears, their strengths, their vulnerabilities and most of all their common vision and drive to achieve excellence in terms of the ‘3-A goals’ of energy systems: accessibility, availability, and acceptability. This issue does not claim to have found “The Ideal Energy Policy”. It certainly does not claim to be the last word on the topic of Turkey’s domestic and external energy policy options. To do so would be presumptuous in the extreme. On the contrary, one of the key lessons from this collection of papers is that the policy imperatives are seen to be quite different from one expert to another, although there are many points in common which we tried to capture in our final words. However, this issue does claim to be a reflection of the thoughts and opinions of more than 10 people drawn from industry, government, academic and non-governmental organisations. This issue aims to perpetuate a vigorous and robust discussion about energy policy and its impact on the achievement and sustainability of the 3-A goals of the accessibility, availability and acceptability of energy systems. It is our hope that as you read this journal you will be challenged, as we have been, and that you will be encouraged to take the debate further. But more than that, we hope that you will recognise that there is much still to be done, and much that each of us can do, to improve our progress towards the 3-A goals. Dialogue and the debate are very important but it is even more important to convert this into meaningful action. This issue is entitled “The Changing Dynamics of World Energy and Turkey’s Future Policy Options” because we believe it is long past the time when decisions need to be made about the world’s and Turkey’s sustainable energy future. We point the way for business, government and academic leaders to make important decisions now which can deliver desirable progress on the 3 As in the period ahead to 2030. We hope that what you are about to read will, in a modest way, add to the body of knowledge beyond what you already know. It goes without saying that each author assumes responsibility for their piece while any editorial errors and lack of a consistent storyline belong to us only.