War vs Climate
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has created fallout in Europe’s energy markets. Countries like Germany that were dependent on Russian gas imports in their energy mix are facing rising prices for energy and possible shortages as winter looms.
The human cost of the invasion is tragic. But what role did climate policies have in creating the current situation? What role can they have in mitigating it? What can European countries do in the very short term to address the energy shortfall, and how might this event shape the energy transition moving forwards, including the impact on demand for Canadian energy in Europe?
David, Sara, Ed, and climate economist Gernot Wagner of Columbia University discuss Europe’s energy crisis and its implications for Canadian energy exports, on Season 4 Episode 2 of Energy vs Climate.
EPISODE NOTES:
@1:12 Welcoming Dr. Gernot Wagner of Columbia University
@2:18 How Russia’s invasion of Ukraine highlights the crisis and opportunity of the energy transition
@4:00 Europe’s dependency on Russia’s Cheap Gas
@12:17 Germany Charters LNG Terminals
@17:18 Expansion of heat pump manufacturing - Pinkafeld
@20:28 How Europe Got Hooked on Russian Gas Despite Reagan’s Warnings
@23:32 The push for LNG Long term contracts
@34:18 Alleged sabotage of Russian gas pipelines
@38:04 Canada’s LNG Export Terminals
@43:37 Inflation Reduction Act
@46:22 Rising EV demand and the push for Lithium
About your co-hosts:
Gernot Wagner is a climate economist at Columbia Business School.
David Keith is a professor at Harvard in Engineering and the Kennedy School. He is the founder of Carbon Engineering and was formerly a professor at the University of Calgary. He splits his time between Canmore and Cambridge.
Sara Hastings-Simon studies energy transitions at the intersection of policy, business, and technology. She’s a policy wonk, a physicist turned management consultant, and a professor at the University of Calgary and Director of the Master of Science in Sustainable Energy Development.
Ed Whittingham is a clean energy policy/finance consultant, fellow at the Public Policy Forum and a mentor with the Creative Destruction Lab. He is the former executive director of the Pembina Institute.
