Do you think the rising price of oil will ever significantly reduce international trade?

Answer 1

Yes it could. But fortunately everything in the economy is connected. As oil prices rise, so will the incentives for research into alternatives, so lower prices for alternative fuels will tend to offset the impact of higher oil prices. This, in turn, will lead to reduced demand for oil and thus oil prices won't rise as quickly as some alarmists suggest. Do a web search on 'peak oil' since you will find some interesting ideas, but don't take the doomsday scenarios that some authors paint as realistic.

The Energy Info Agency in the US publishes some good quality analysis of these sorts of issues (see www.eia.doe.gov), I find that their inernational energy outlook (see the link below) usually has a very balanced and well considered assessment of these sorts of issues.

Answer 2

Of course not, oil is what drives of economy like crazy. Just because the rise of oil is going insane, it will not stop the economy just for that reason, unless the oil is driving a large chain reaction on it, but it is not. International trade is a large matter with numerous types of resources, materials etc being traded.

Answer 3

On its own no, given increases in the efficiency of ships and planes. Some sort of environmental taxes on emissions if large enough may have an effect. It may also be that regionally trade groups will more and more protect themselves from outside trade decreasing long distance trade.

Answer 4

ummmmmmm... NO!!

First of all you answered your own question - if there is a rising price then somebody's buying it - hence increased international trade.

Second, oil is only a conduit in the global economy. It is a tool, and tools can and often are replaced when they break - or run out

Answer 5

NO