As the horrors inflicted by Vladimir Putin play out across Ukraine, we all wonder how he thought this invasion was a good idea, one that would ensure him a place of honor in Russian history. What was in his head? But I’m not here to speculate on that today. Today I’d prefer to talk about what’s financing this atrocity.
Fossil fuels have turned from the engine that drove exponential economic growth in the post-World War II world, to the motivation for all kinds of wars. Wars that should have been left behind as the 20th century ended. This war is, itself, not about oil, but it’s financed by oil and the chief thing keeping it going is Europe’s fear of losing that tap.
Europe has been much more progressive at moving to renewables than the US, but their addiction, like all addictions, is still driving their decision-making and their priorities.
There’s no upside in continuing to value and prioritize this outdated fuel, so representative of the last century.
It’s true that the global economy cannot simply switch to renewables, but moving aggressively in that direction is well within our grasp, and doing so has never been more important.
When the very thing that is destroying our global climate is also financing war crimes, then it’s time – at long last – to leave it in the ground and move toward a sustainable future.
I’m Reed Scherer and that’s my perspective.
