We must avoid the mistakes of the past and choose renewables amid the energy crisis

The appalling and catastrophic Russian invasion of Ukraine has had a catalogue of secondary consequences for the world, including increased energy insecurity. But as we see fuel prices rise over the next few months in the UK and drastic attempts to buy oil from human rights violators, we must remember the cause of our energy insecurity and predicament is a painful lack of renewable investment for the last few decades.

As soon as the first Russian soldier stepped into Ukraine, sanctions from all over the world started to be announced. Eventually, they grew from freezing oligarchs’ assets to banning the importation of Russian oil and gas. Russia is a fossil-fuel heavyweight, producing the 3^rd largest amount of oil in the world. Without a substitute, removing that much energy supply from the global market will hamper supply and cause prices to skyrocket.

Yet the crisis will affect countries differently. In the UK, 8% of all our energy comes from Russia, while in the US it’s just 3%. Meanwhile, over 70% of Russia’s gas exports go to just Germany and Italy. While obviously this makes the problem lesser comparatively for the UK, 8% is still a massively significant amount.

The threat to ordinary members of the public’s wallets is made worse by pre-existing inflation. Thanks to the huge demand as we emerged from lockdowns and restrictions around the world, and supply chains being unable to keep up last year, we are feeling the pain of the worst inflation in decades. The dual threat of less fuel and covid-caused inflation has led to risks of poverty increases in the UK. Rather alarmingly, the personal finance expert Martin Lewis recently predicted as many as 10 million UK citizens could enter fuel poverty.

Rightly, this undeniable strain on people’s funds and budgets will make the public rather enraged. The swell of emotions we feel should be pinpointed on the failure to invest in renewables for decades. Our inflation and newfound energy insecurity has its root in the UK not having a backup for oil from morally bankrupt countries. We should be furious that those in Government cumulatively chose not to invest in renewable energy long ago to radically reduce our emissions and work faster to net zero, create jobs at home, and give ourselves more security.

Even now, as we hurl towards climate disaster, the Government is prioritising finding energy wherever it can find it. Prime Minister Boris Johnson visited Saudi Arabia and the UAE last week to negotiate a deal for new oil for the UK. On the same day Johnson visited, Saudi Arabia executed 3 prisoners, and of course, continues to fund the war in Yemen, uses torture and disallows free speech. This is the cost of inaction. It is because we have failed to build renewable infrastructure and a greener economy, that in a time of crisis the Government feels compelled to beg for oil to be shipped from countries that act counter to our values.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres decried the western approach to replace oil with oil, saying that ‘Addiction to fossil fuels is mutually assured destruction.’ He added that the reaction to the Ukraine crisis could threaten the agreed goals of the Paris Agreement in 2015.

The undeniable reality of our modern world is that we live in an age defined by many crises, not one. Good governance then must manage them all. At the moment our efforts to counter the heinous acts of the Kremlin are seeing us contradict the needs of the climate emergency. The Government must act with all our pressing crises in mind. One simply cannot be swept aside for another.

As much as our addiction to oil in the last few decades, just when we had to pull ourselves away for a better alternative, is maddening, we have to act now. Our economy needs energy to thrive, and it is dependent for a good quality of life. But this crisis should be the kick-starter to, for real this time, deal with our very much present climate catastrophe. Ukraine can either be the point where the world got distracted from climate and was looking the other way when the clock ticked down, or it can be a serious changing point for the world. We must choose the latter. There is no choice.