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What now? Reflections from a climate activist on COP26

What now? Reflections from a climate activist on COP26

by Léa Weimann

The COP26 has been a much-anticipated conference coined as humanity’s “last best chance” to limit global warming to 1.5°C and keep the ambition of the Paris Agreement alive. It has been five years since the Paris Agreement. Climate-Change-related weather events and impacts around the world are accelerating in frequency and severity. The global trajectory of CO2 emissions continues to be on the rise and so is climate anxiety, especially in young people and fellow activists such as myself.

Sustainable energy security, in whose interest? The case of Democratic Republic of Congo.

Sustainable energy security, in whose interest? The case of Democratic Republic of Congo.

by Ifesinachi Okafor-Yarwood and Rukonge Sospeter Muhongo

Climate adaptation and mitigation initiatives have driven up demand for rare minerals. Over 3 billion tons of rare minerals will be needed to achieve the global goal of reducing emissions to net-zero. A key site of extraction of these minerals is Sub-Saharan Africa. Will these regions acquire a share in this mineral boom or will the historical exploitation of these communities continue under the guise of supporting the ‘Green Transition’?

The Flame Towers of Baku: new building, old symbol?

The Flame Towers of Baku: new building, old symbol?

by Leyla Sayfutdinova and Turning oil into stone: oil legacies in the narratives of urban continuity and change in Baku, Azerbaijan

Since their construction in 2013, debates on whether the Flame Towers are ‘beautiful’ or ‘ugly’, whether they deserve to be a symbol of Baku or not, whether they are intended for ‘tourists’ or the ‘locals’ have been ongoing. This post places the towers within the context of Baku and Azerbaijan’s local and national identities, exploring the importance of fire imagery and the modern connection of these ideas to the oil industry.

Natural Gas in the UK, Part 1: Infrastructures & Geopolitics

Natural Gas in the UK, Part 1: Infrastructures & Geopolitics

by Sean Field

In this blog post series, I examine the UK’s natural gas infrastructure, the market dynamics behind rising global natural gas prices, and who will be affected the most by Ofgem’s rate increase. In this part one, I show how the deregulation and financialization of UK natural gas over the last couple of decades has exposed UK consumers to the geopolitics of natural gas pipelines and fluctuations in financial market prices for natural gas. 

Putting Energy at the Centre of Scotland’s History

Putting Energy at the Centre of Scotland’s History

by Ewan Gibbs

Scotland’s relationship with energy generation and related technologies is one fraught with human drama and political struggles. Miles Oglethorpe’s recent two part blog underlined the international significance of Scotland’s diverse energy history and the importance of preserving it. In this post I add to Miles’ important contribution by assessing how energy figures in our understanding of Scotland’s modern history.

Understanding energy: Why are we talking about nuclear energy again?

Understanding energy: Why are we talking about nuclear energy again?

by Andreas Bock Michelsen

Nuclear energy is almost universally feared and reviled, and not without reason. And yet, China has doubled its nuclear capacity since 2014, climate scientists have called for an increase in nuclear power, while the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change identifies increased production of nuclear energy as a key element in avoiding global warning. Why is such an obviously dangerous and polluting energy source considered an important element of the green energy transition?

“It has gone full circle” – The role of private forest owners for Swedish energy.

“It has gone full circle” – The role of private forest owners for Swedish energy.

by Linnea Maria Sjögren

For Sweden, with its extensive forest cover, the bioenergy industry has the potential to become one of the most important industries moving forward. Whilst Swedish forestry is considered particularly sustainable – it is problematic to rely on this fragile ecosystem for all future energy needs. A heightened demand for forest derived products can put excessive pressure not only on the climate and local ecosystems, but also on the people to whom the forests bear a particular significance.

Energy: Scotland’s Forgotten Industrial Heritage? Part 2

Energy: Scotland’s Forgotten Industrial Heritage? Part 2

by Miles Oglethorpe

Although the demise of coal can justifiably be blamed on the shift in government support to the nuclear industry, in truth the main challenge it faced was from petroleum. Initially, Scotland’s oil industry was also based on mining. Its geographical centre was just to the west of Edinburgh, not far from where the airport can now be found.

Energy: Scotland’s Forgotten Industrial Heritage? Part 1

Energy: Scotland’s Forgotten Industrial Heritage? Part 1

by Miles Oglethorpe

These days, despite the constant stream of publicity highlighting the climate emergency, many of us still drift into a lifestyle driven by uncritical, passive mass energy consumption. It’s too easy to casually switch on devices without any consideration of how the energy that powers them has been derived. Yet, all strands of our energy industry have a fascinating history and associated culture, some of which has been truly heroic and, needless to say, also often troubling in nature.

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