In extremis: The world at the edge of a cliff
The Russia-Ukraine conflict saw a major escalation this week. With the world economy on the brink, we’re in for a disquieting autumn.
Russia
The Other Reason for Putin’s Rush to War: Russian Oil Dependency
These skirmishes illustrate how deeply interwoven petroleum politics has become with the culture and geopolitics of Russian’s foreign policy. This is not the Cold War. Oil dependence is Putin’s bane, and ours.
World War III is here, but it’s not what we expected
The battlefield for this war is worldwide; it’s just that it is primarily an economic battlefield. When Russia attacked Ukraine, the other great powers did not send soldiers and tanks. Instead, they orchestrated one of the most comprehensive economic warfare schemes ever devised
‘Rogue states’ and the necessity of oil
Sudden drops in world oil supplies have a way of focusing the mind. I discuss the abrupt U-turn in American policy toward Venezuela and Iran in this week’s post.
Farmers and a degrowth economy in Russia
The global crisis gives a chance for a new model of living to emerge – an economy of degrowth. In an interview with the LavkaGazeta, Teodor Shanin is reflecting on the role that farming can play in the new model of development.
The Brief Spring of Global Science: How climate science is affected by nationalism and propaganda
Russian science seems to have rejected the current understanding of climate change as seen in the West. Yet, we must keep trying to bridge the gap: if people don’t speak to each other, the only way they have to communicate is to fight.
The Russians are coming (and they’re bringing oil)
Supporters of America’s new get-tough foreign policy are touting the country’s emerging “oil weapon” wrought from increasing production in the shale oil fields of Texas and other states. The rise of oil imports from Russia is just one sign that those supporters have the situation completely wrong.
Among Foodies and Organic Farmers in Russia
I am not surprised that the government neglects these subsistence farmers, their contribution to the GDP and to the grand plans of the President is small. I am surprised, however, that they seem to be neglected also by the organic association. It seems to me to be a key group for the development of local, resilient and small scale organic farming.
Peak Oil Review – 1 May 2017
“The key question for the future of the oil market is for how long can a surge in US shale supplies make up for the slow pace of growth elsewhere in the oil sector.”
–Fatih Birol, the IEA’s executive director
Peak Oil Review – April 4
A weekly roundup of peak oil news, including: -Oil and the Global Economy -Middle East and North Africa -China -Russia -Briefs
“Occupied” Norway a window into our fossil fuel addiction
Okay, I admit that the premise of Norwegian television’s new political thriller series "Occupied" is far-fetched. But that premise is a window on just how addicted to fossil fuels we are.
Panic about panic: Russia and the world-system today
One doesn’t hear much discussion of these foreign policy issues in Russia. What one hears discussed instead is how best to handle the acute budgetary shortfall that the Russian state is facing.