Transition away from fossil fuels toward renewables: lessons from Russia-Ukraine crisis

Abstract

The world’s progress towards net-zero ambitions will bring down fossil fuel utilization and imports over time. However, crises such as COVID-19 and the Russia-Ukraine conflict have raised questions about the reliability of non-renewables and what actions could be taken by policymakers to immediately mitigate reliance on fossil fuels for vulnerable importers. The responses to the recent crises could reorient energy geopolitics by the decentralization of the global energy system and speeding up renewables deployment. These superb targets require a concerted and sustained energy policy effort across multiple industries, alongside strong international communication on energy security. Clear dialogue between governments, the green power generation industries, and consumers is also a crucial element for successful renewable energy implementation. The world’s energy crisis has unveiled that the transition to renewable energy has been too slow, and serious efforts are required to speed up the transition away from fossil fuels toward renewables.