For Climate Ukraine Has More Pluses Than Minuses

While there are many reasons to be concerned about Russia's invasion of Ukraine, its impact on climate change is not one. One of the many silver linings to this terrible war is the fact that it will make it easier for rising temperatures to be combated by encouraging the global economy not to emit as much carbon.

Recent depressing headlines give a different impression. Many countries are switching to coal as they have seen gas prices rise around the globe. Coal emits twice the carbon dioxide per unit of energy than gas. According to the International Energy Agency, the demand for black rock has been declining.

The developed world is still desperately looking for alternatives to gas. While African countries are eager to extract their resources, European countries are exploring pipeline projects and building terminals for liquefied natural gases. According to Climate Action Tracker, this new "dashfor gas" could lead to irreversible global warming and a mass of stranded assets.

Climate diplomacy is in crisis. The war, the energy crisis, and high food prices are the main concerns of world leaders. Few people expect great achievements at COP27 (the next United Nations climate conference), which will be held in Egypt in November.

The fact that Russia invaded Ukraine has caused tensions between China, Moscow’s closest friend, and America, Kyiv’s largest weapons supplier, is particularly worrying. The People's Republic stopped any dialogue with America regarding climate after Nancy Pelosi, U.S. House of Representatives speaker, visited Taiwan last month.