(04-05-2022, 11:10 AM)OutsiderFan Wrote: So all the available data doesn't just support the idea, it proves fossil fuels are a root cause of most problems we face, including creeping autocracy reliant on fossil fuels and doing all they can to thwart renewable energy. This is why the Secretary General of the United Nations said it, and why I am amplifying what he said. Anyone who doesn't believe the issue is inextricably linked to Putin's War on Ukraine is just not paying attention or willfully naive.This kind of logic takes my breath away. The thrust of the argument seems to be that autocracy is caused by exporting fossil fuels, and if energy becomes "free" autocracy will disappear. Well, China imports fossil fuels and is an autocracy, so it isn't true that exporting fossil fuels is a prerequisite. Argentina was an an autocracy when it occupied the Falklands. They were not exporters of fossil fuels either AFAIK. History is replete with wars started and fought by autocracies that had plenty of fuels (Iran/Iraq) and had no fuels (China/Japan). For that matter, during the entire cold war Russia didn't export much fuel. They were still an autocracy and arguably started several "proxy wars" at least. How about North Korea? No oil there, they are a relatively poor country, and they for sure started a war.
Fossil fuels are like any other source of financial strength a nation possesses. If you have enough gold or diamonds, that works. If you make lots of money building cars, that's OK too. Yes, impoverished nations have trouble attacking their neighbors. Sometimes they do it anyway, possibly because they are impoverished. If you are an autocracy, you can use your resources (whatever they are) to finance war.