Harvard economist, Jason Furman, has characterized the Russian economy as “basically a big gas station”. Among Putin’s destructive policies as a leader of the Russian people is his failure to diversify their petro economy and prepare for a less carbon intensive future. Are we witnessing, with this disastrous war in Ukraine, the acts of a desperate petrostate dictator staring at a questionable future as carbon-based economy?
Seventeen years ago, I was a member of an international team in Russia. Our mission was to plan sustainability projects that locals would implement. Although our projects were modest as climate solutions (grow watermelons, create a sustainability education program for business managers, meter energy use in government heated apartment blocks) our work was considered subversive, and projects failed to get off the ground. Not much has changed since then, judging from Prof. Furman’s analysis.
Other petrostates acknowledge the climate crisis and the need to diversify their economies away from reliance on oil and gas -- Putin not so much. Saudi Arabia, for example, announced Vision 2030 in 2017, a plan to diversify its economy away from Oil. The plan famously included the creation of a brand new $500 billion solar powered, green city, Neom, to be run by robots!
The United Arab Emirates, another petrostate, has implemented policies designed to turn Dubai, its largest city, into a tech start up and venture hub.
The diversification of Ukraine’s economy, compared to Russia’s, seems enviable. They are better positioned to succeed in the next, lo-carbon economy. The Wall Street Journal reports that Ukraine’s manufacturing supplies wiring systems, seats and electronics to the automotive industry and other components to the steel industry. They have significant agricultural production of commodities, including wheat, corn, and sunflower oil. Ports and air space are strategically located and essential to the shortest routes between Europe and Asia.
As of this writing, Putin is under investigation by the International Criminal Court for war crimes and crimes against humanity. His climate denial and failure to care for the Russian people by transitioning the fossil fuel economy to a lo-carbon future is criminal too.