The green transition was once mostly the preoccupation of activists and scientists. One result of Vladimir Putin’s weaponisation of energy in his war on Ukraine has been to thrust it to the heart of the geosecurity agenda, at least in advanced democracies. Soaring prices have finally prompted determined efforts by governments to cut reliance on fossil fuel, even if, short-term, some are having to use more coal. Rather than a setback for climate action, the International Energy Agency says, the energy crisis can be a “historic turning point”.That is one positive element in a backdrop to the COP27 summit now under way in Sharm el-Sheikh that otherwise looks grim. Inflation and economic slowdown hardly provide a propitious environment. Extreme weather events this year such as the appalling floods in Pakistan have highlighted the damage done even by 1.1C of global warming to date. A UN report has warned, meanwhile, that “woefully insufficient” climate efforts mean the world is still on track for at least 2.4C of warming — well above the 2C, or ideally 1.5C, goal in the 2015 Paris agreement.
曾经，绿色转型基本上是只有活动人士和科学家才关心的事情。弗拉基米尔•普京(Vladimir Putin)在入侵乌克兰后将能源供应武器化的结果之一，就是使绿色转型进入地缘安全议程的核心，至少在发达民主国家是这样。飙升的价格终于促使各国政府下决心减少对化石燃料的依赖，即使其中一些国家在短期内不得不使用更多煤炭。国际能源署(IEA)表示，当前的能源危机非但不是气候行动的挫折，而且可以成为一个“历史性转折点”。