SmartAB™ Wisdom #8: Focus On What You Can Control, Not On What You Can’t…
The rising interest rates and eye-popping inflation, combined with the sharp economic downturn and the fears of prolonged recession — already brought huge layoffs to Silicon Valley. And the VC capital of the world was quick to call for radical cost-cutting measures, spending reductions, and a greater focus on profitability. The message is very clear: do what it takes, or… perish.
So why does it take so long for the governments to pivot from their policies of “peace-time” economies? Why can’t the politicians quickly modify their approach to climate change mitigation commitments — in the context of the Russian invasion and the occupation of Eastern Ukraine?
The Invasion Of Ukraine Changes Everything…
Yes, we all want GHG reduction, ASAP. But Putin’s existential threats issued to all the NATO countries are real, immediate, and beyond our control.
Now, don’t get me wrong, it is great to have ambitious GHG reduction plans by 2050. The only problem is that if we don’t prioritize smarter economic strategies to fight the new RasPUTIN of Russia — we may all end up dead… beforehand.
Let It Be Your Wake-Up Call…
Putin’s grandiose delusions are getting worse by the hour. The Russian leader increasingly turns into an armchair historian, armchair economist, and armchair general — all at once. Just like so many other dictators before him: Hitler, Stalin, etc.
And with all such armchairs to fill, perhaps the real beneficiaries are the Russian furniture manufacturers. The sheer volume of Putin’s orders for the new armchairs and gigantic conference tables — must make the legendary Chippendale furniture maker look like an amateur…
So, I strongly recommend for all of us remember that it only took 14 years for the German Nazis and their sympathizers to cause 40 to 50 MM deaths during WWII. Such numbers include 6 MM Jews. Well, Putin didn’t kill 6MM Ukrainians yet, but this is how many women, children, and elderly fled Ukraine, following the Russian invasion.
Putin’s delusional rumblings about redrawing the boundaries of Russian borders and his references to Peter the Great are already sounding more disturbing than the initial “peace” speeches of Adolf Hitler in 1933. According to the Oxford Press, on May 17, 1933, Hitler assured the world about the following:
“The application of violence of any kind in Europe could have no favourable effect upon the political or economic position which exists today. Even the ultimate effect would be to increase the disturbance of European equilibrium and thus, in one manner or another, to sow the seed of further conflicts and complications. The result would be fresh wars, fresh uncertainty, and fresh economic distress. The outbreak of such infinite madness, however, would necessarily cause the collapse of the present social and political order”.
Well, it didn’t take long for Hitler to change his stripes and start conquering. The Holocaust Encyclopedia by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum lists the following:
“Germany defeated and occupied Poland (attacked in September 1939), Denmark (April 1940), Norway (April 1940), Belgium (May 1940), the Netherlands (May 1940), Luxembourg (May 1940), France (May 1940), Yugoslavia (April 1941), and Greece (April 1941). Yet Germany did not defeat Great Britain, which was protected from German ground attack by the English Channel and the Royal Navy. On June 22, 1941, German forces suddenly invaded the Soviet Union. But Germany proved unable to defeat the Soviet Union, which together with Great Britain and the United States turned the tide of battle and ultimately defeated Germany in May 1945”.
Putin has been in power much longer than Adolf Hitler ruled Germany. So, if Hitler’s initial peace declarations of 1933 turned quickly into threats followed by military invasions — why should we be surprised by Putin’s ruthless actions?
No, we can’t control Putin’s actions, but we can control how well we are prepared to confront him. And whether it is his threat of cutting the EU from the Russian energy supplies or the threat of starving the African continent — there is plenty of what we can do to deflate it…
Fighting Climate Change Can’t Be Lopsided Anymore…
As I wrote in: How To Green Canadian Oil Sands, if we lived in a perfect world, perhaps all the production of natural gas could have been supplanted by renewable energy with a flip of the switch. But our world is not perfect, and no such transition can take place overnight.
So, if Norway, Canada, and the USA completely stopped all their natural gas production today, would Europe be thrilled to beg the Russians for mercy — especially after their brutal, barbaric, and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine?
One quick look at the global trends indicates that not all the continents demonstrate the same CO2 emissions trends. While North America and Europe are reducing the overall emissions, countries in Asia do not! And yet, most of the emissions criticism is oriented squarely toward NA and Europe!
Better yet, the numbers don’t lie. We can clap our hands all we want to the “imagine-the-future” narratives of the biggest polluters, but when China, Russia & Iran all INCREASE their emissions and countries like Canada reduce it by 0.1% — it’s time to stop the generic blame and to focus on the biggest polluters and trend-setters, instead.
I agree that “Climate change and climate risk is a global problem that needs a global solution.” Yet, unless we also see the conscientious pension funds going after China, Russia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and India the same way they target Canada, Norway, and Australia — it’s nothing more but a lopsided bias…
Granted, it’s much easier to organize a demonstration in Toronto, New York, Oslo, or Sydney — instead of protesting in Beijing, Tehran, or Moscow. Not only it’s easier but also less risky — and you’re not going to be thrown in jail, or executed in front of the cheering spectators…
Chances are that you will also not see bare-chested Greenpeace activists throwing themselves on the swords of the polluters in Beijing, Tehran, New Dehli, or Moscow — the same way you will not see them launching court battles there…
And in light of the rising energy costs around the world, just on what planet begging Saudis, Iranians, and Venezuelans for increasing their oil production is more progressive than bringing additional energy supplies from Canada and the USA? It sure doesn’t make one win the popularity contest — as the approval ratings of both federal governments in Canada and the USA are at all times low…
I am all for increasing renewable energy supplies but just like VCs moved quickly away from the “Growth At All Costs” to the “Staying Alive” investment paradigm — shouldn’t the governments pivot toward shielding their citizens from the economic hardships caused by Russia?
In my book, it has to be placed ahead of meeting Climate Change targets by 2050 — established way before the nuclear threats of Putin were unleashed. Just who exactly are the governments afraid of? Greenpeace activists?
I don’t see Greta Thunberg demonstrating in Moscow against Russian oil being sold to China and India in draws. Especially, India, which broke the ranks with all the other democracies — all in the name of a cheap Russian Ruble…
So, to India, in its “infinite wisdom”, and to all the other Putin appeasers, I would like to remind you of a “First They Came” poem about the Nazis — written by pastor Martin Niemöller”:
· “First, they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out — because I was not a Socialist
· Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out — because I was not a Trade Unionist
· Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out — Because I was not a Jew
· Then they came for me — and there was no one left to speak for me”
Yes, there is plenty that can be done to ensure that the economic sanctions against Putin and his cronies, work. But if instead of hitting the aggressor you are ending up hurting your own citizens — what is the point of doing so? How about:
· Ensuring self-sufficient energy supplies in North America — to avoid the devastating effects of inflation and rising interest rates
· Increasing Strategic Oil Reserves to cover 2 years of depletions — and continuously releasing and replenishing vast amounts of oil supplies into the markets to avoid sticker shocks at the pumps
· Introducing Emergency Oil Price Controls — to prevent opportunistic profiteering and supply chain abuses, until Strategic Oil Reserves are fully restored and no longer utilized
All such measures should have been designed in anticipation of the disruptions caused by invoking the economic sanctions against Russia. What is the point of shutting down the pipelines in North America — only to plead Iran, Venezuela, and Saudi Arabia to increase their oil productions?
No, you are not going to boost your political popularity by turning to the OPEC countries for help. Only strong and self-reliant economies can deter the militant aggressors and preserve the democratic values — just like one needs a strong military to do the same…
In Conclusion
North American governments must stop the self-imposed penalties and restrictions applied to their energy industries. Such measures were all introduced under radically different geopolitical realities.
Both Canada and the USA need to change their policies without delay — and act upon them decisively… Agility and short-term priorities take precedent under an existential threat from rogue regimes.
We don’t have the luxury anymore of long-term thinking and optimizing our GHG reduction plans by 2050. As I’ve said before, in the long run, we end up dead, anyway. The problem is that thanks to Putin, the long run may become much shorter than you think.
I am convinced that many Ukrainians didn’t envision waking up to the rocket attacks on their schools, hospitals, and apartment building, either. And in March 2022, their fight against GHG reductions has been replaced by the fight to survive and stay alive…
And one more thing… Just on what planet do the comrades from the China Communist Party (CCP) live on? Since when did the bombings of hospitals, schools, and apartment buildings, and the killings of thousands of elderlies, women, and children address Russian “sovereignty and security concerns”?
China’s revolting support of the “legitimacy of the actions taken by Russia to protect the fundamental national interests in the face of challenges to its security created by external forces” means only one thing: it’s OK for the Russians to launch rockets on Ukrainian cities and their civilian population!
It is time to make China accountable for supporting Russian crimes against humanity and launching rockets, artillery, and missiles to destroy Ukrainian cities, roads, bridges, and train tracks. Nobody is above international law and by supporting Russian crimes, the dreadful statements by the CCP should be highlighted, exposed, and confronted with full force…
For More Information
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