Fossil Fuels and Autocrats
Part of the Climate and Democracy series, in this conversation, security expert Max Bergman will focus on Vladimir Putin's attempts to wield fossil fuels as a strategic weapon.
When: Thursday, November 16, 4:30 pm EST
Where: Hybrid, In-person and Zoom
133 S. 36th Street, Room 250
Who: Max Bergmann (Center for Strategic and International Studies), Mitchell Orenstein (Penn Russian and East European Studies).
The production of fossil fuels is deeply intertwined not only with the economic interests of large global corporations, but also with the political regimes of powerful autocrats. In this conversation, security expert Max Bergmann (Center for Strategic and International Studies) focuses on the case of Vladimir Putin and his attempts to wield fossil fuels as a strategic weapon to undermine opposition to the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. As Europe actively seeks to transition to renewable energy, but at the same time remains economically dependent on fossil fuels, has Putin’s strategy succeeded or backfired? More generally, do threats to global energy and food security provide leverage for autocrats, or do they instead energize transformative policies in the world’s democracies? The conversation will be moderated by Mitchell Orenstein (Penn Russian and East European Studies) and will include time for audience Q +A.
The "Climate and Democracy" series is hosted by the Andrea Mitchell Center for the Study of Democracy and Penn Program in Environmental Humanities and sponsored by the Environmental Innovations Initiative.