Implications of the Russian War on Ukraine for Climate Policy and the Geopolitics of Energy

Abstract

The February 2022 Russian invasion of the Ukraine has led to radical changes in European energy politics and placed new urgency on plans to expand renewable energy and enhance energy efficiency. The European Union, the United States, and many other states have slapped a series of crippling sanctions on Russia and reduced or completely cut their fossil fuel imports in an effort to stop the cash flow the Kremlin needs to finance its war. Russian fossil fuel is being replaced by imports from other regions while demand has been reduced through energy savings by households and businesses. Putin's aggression against Ukraine has forced Europe to speed up its energy transition, meaning that Russia has unintentionally spurred on European climate policy. China, on the other hand, is deepening its trade ties with Russia, supporting the country by buying more oil and gas. New alliances are forming that will have long-term consequences for the geopolitics of energy and could also affect the potential for further cooperation on climate change globally.