WHY COP27 SHOULD THANK VLADIMIR PUTIN

Before the war, solar and wind sources were already cheaper than fossil fuels in 85% of the world; now they are cheaper almost everywhere.

- JOHN DOBSON LONDON

Along with several world leaders, President Vladimir Putin chose not to attend the United Nations Climate Change Conference, otherwise known as COP27, currently underway in Egypt's luxurious resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. The Kremlin issued a statement last month that Putin would not attend because he believed "no breakthroughs were expected". While this may be true, all leaders of the 190 countries represented should nevertheless be grateful to the Russian President for helping their cause. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has meant that global demand for fossil fuels, the main drivers of climate change, has very likely peaked-for good. The world's policymakers have been working towards this tipping point for years. Now, the twin forces of national security and energy economics are driving a permanent system change away from fossil fuels quicker than ever, giving a glimmer of hope for the future of the planet.