Enya Laumbach

The Ukraine-Russia Conflict through the Lens of Climate Crisis

An Op-Ed By Enya Laumbach

On its face, and in the current state of news coverage, the ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict seems like a resurgence of the Cold War politics of old. East clashing with West anew, but with lines being drawn along democracy and authoritarianism rather than capitalism and communism this time around. However, this twodimensional perspective of the ongoing conflict, one that treats it as just an ideological struggle between superpowers, fails to address that there are added dimensions to this conflict, mainly climate change, and additional players, like a Europe asserting its independence.

How is climate change motivating this conflict? For one, Russia has everything to gain from global warming and little to lose. In fact, it is in Russia’s geopolitical interests to maintain the current trend of global warming and promote continued use of fossil fuels and climate change skepticism by any means necessary. Russia mainly produces and exports oil and natural gas, and wishes to sustain a market for these products. Its massive military- industrial complex needs wars to supply fighting nations with weapons, and an increasingly climate insecure world means increasingly likely wars over resources, especially water. Melting ice will likely open a passage for shipping through the Arctic, cheaper than the current route from Asia to Europe through the Suez, which Russia will control most of and profit off of enormously. Warming temperatures means more of Russia will be habitable while the rest of the world becomes uninhabitable, meaning that they will control a large part of where people can even live; as in a world just 4 degrees warmer, the area around the equator will become inhabitable (Wallace-Wells, 2020). With that, Russia will also begin to control most of the world’s arable land and food, as it will become one of the few places not struck by desertification. All of this points to a future dominated by Russia if present trends continue and inaction on climate change continues, and that is exactly what Putin is banking on. However, Russia is not content to just sit back and let it play out; renewable energies, rising gas prices, even cordial diplomacy, all pose too great a risk for Putin and threaten his ideal possible future; so Russia’s geopolitical goals are to ensure that the Europe and the world remain divided, especially on the issue of climate change.

How does Ukraine factor into these geopolitical goals? Ukraine is part of Russia’s larger strategy to divide and conquer. It seeks to secure its eastern border, shifting the balance of power in Europe back to the Warsaw Pact era. A Russia that controls Ukraine has a defensive line along the

Edge of Moscow. However, in their invasion, Russia is gambling on a Europe that will not act on the conflict due to their reliance on Russian natural gas. The timing of this move against Ukraine, during the winter months, when energy use by Europe is higher than average, and the productiveness of their renewable wind and solar is lower than average, is strategic on Russia’s part (Lavelle, 2022). They have already throttled how much gas they are sending to Europe in an attempt to squeeze them into submission, and send the message that siding with America and any sanctions will result in higher gas prices and be felt in the outrage of their citizens. “Part of what happened is Russia just did not send as much gas to fill up storage in Europe; they just kind of sent the bare minimum,” said Nikos Tsafos of the energy security and climate change program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “So the backdrop to what’s happening in Ukraine is that the natural gas price has just been at an insane level— incredibly elevated, and governments are feeling it and consumers are going to feel it,” (Lavelle, 2020). Russia seeks to divide Europe from America and to divide Ukraine from Europe, as Ukraine has the potential to act as a counterweight to some of Russia’s future dominance. Ukraine has 25-30% of the world’s reserves of black earth, some of the most productive soil in the world, with 41.5 million hectares of agricultural land, covering 70 percent of the country (FAOSTAT, 2012); its status as the breadbasket of Europe will only grow as agriculture elsewhere falls to desertification and volatile weather, and thus it will threaten Putin's dreams of a Europe reliant on Russian agriculture. Additionally, Ukraine’s position between Russia and Europe means that gas and oil gets to Europe most efficiently when it flows through Ukraine, which has motivated Russia to circumnavigate Ukrainian pipelines and the high tariffs associated by constructing the Nordstream pipeline through the baltic sea, those this project is currently stalled as the invasion unfolds. Ukraine also has its own natural gas reserves which threaten Russian hegemony. Russia has already moved on this with its annexation of Crimea, the region which holds half of Ukraine’s natural gas reserves and allowing them to project control over the offshore sources which are within Ukraine’s exclusive economic zone (Lavelle, 2020). The invasion of the Donbass is further colored by Russia’s desire to control Ukrainian fossil fuels and circumvent Ukraine from being able to extract it and displace Russia’s role as an energy producer within the EU. Dominating Ukraine will mean Russian energy and food will reign supreme in a climate insecure future for Europe. How does the USA factor into this conflict through a climate lens? The interesting thing is that when viewing the conflict as one between the USA and Russia through a climate lens, the dichotomy falls apart. Indeed, both are the major arbiters of increasing global warming and both have much to gain from its continued proliferation. The US also has vested interest in seeing a continued use of fossil fuels, with lobbying from industries like oil and influencing climate denial even among the government’s legislature, and is a nation who just elected notable climate denier Donald Trump to the highest office in the land just 6 years ago. The USA’s military-industrial complex is even larger and more profitable than Russia’s, and has much to gain from everincreasing wars over resources. Finally, the US has its own potential Arctic passage’s opening up through Alaska, as well as Alaska becoming

Makes it more habitable and allows for easier exploitation of the oil, gas and minerals there that remain under ice. However, unlike Russia, the USA’s gains are only in the short term in a warming world, with the benefits being far outweighed by the negatives. The USA currently is a massive agricultural producer, but with climate change, desertification will hit the US hard, and we may see another, more massive Dust Bowl. In a world just 4 degrees warmer, it is predicted the entirety of the lower 48 United States will become an uninhabitable desert, and that is not even taking into consideration the millions who live on the nation's coastal cities who will see their homes go underwater (Wallace-Wells, 2020). Yet, climate denial and the politicization of climate change mean inaction or viewing the threat of global warming in the long term seems impossible in any meaningful sense; even as Biden has rejoined the Paris Climate Accords, there still fails to be any significant green energy and cohesive climate bill passed in Congress (Wallace-Wells, 2020). America is shooting itself in the foot on climate change and Europe (and honestly, the rest of the world) is taking notice. For Europe, the lack of action on climate change might then make it seem like the tug of war really has only one future, America in decline and Russia on the come up. That pessimism is what Putin is betting on. rely on either party for its future. The result, then, can only be a third stance, one of a unified Europe and European Union acting in its own vested interests, not content to stay a puppet of America or become one of Russia. In this same vein, a Europe seeking independence from either power will naturally align with Ukraine over Russia; not over ideological grandstanding, but due to the realization that securing Ukrainian agriculture and fuel is paramount to securing European independence from Russia. In short, Putin may have overplayed his hand, and unraveled his entire vision of placing Europe within his orbit by taking a proactive, antagonistic stance rather than letting the dice fall as they may. Heavy economic sanctions have already sent the Russian economy into free fall; Russia’s initial invasion has been slow and costly, while the Ukrainian people are in high morale; their president Volodymyr Zelensky fights with his citizens in Kiev and enters talks with the EU for weapons and immediate admission as a member state. Whatever the result of this current conflict, a Russian century seems less and less likely, and one where nations like those of the EU, take the climate crisis into their own hands, and promote green energy even more as a means to break free from this duopolistic global order, even more likely.

Works Cited:

But what will Europe’s response really be? While America continues to waffle on a transition to green energy, Putin’s throttling of gas to Europe as a form of punishment for siding with the west and as a warning for the future may just serve as the push Europe needs to actually pursue greater green energy. “The whole idea that Europe wouldn’t be in this mess if it wasn’t for the energy transition, that’s crap,” said Samantha Gross, director of the energy security and climate initiative at the Brookings Institution. “More renewables actually insulates economies from problems like these. It doesn’t cause them,” (Lavelle, 2022). Putin’s strategy may then have backfired. I predict that, if Ukraine can hold out, whatever settlement is reached, Europe will realize that it cannot

FAOSTAT (2012) ‘FAO Statistical Database’. Rome: FAO, available at: https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#country/230

Lavelle, M. (2022, January 28). How climate and the nord stream 2 pipeline undergirds the Ukraine-Russia standoff. Inside Climate News. Retrieved February 16, 2022, from https://insideclimatenews.org/news/30012022/climatenord-stream-2-russia-ukraine/

Wallace-Wells, D. (2020). Cascades. In The uninhabitable earth: Life after warming (pp. 3 –36). essay, Tim Duggan Books. https:// www.crisrieder.org/thejourney/wp-content/ uploads/2019/05/The-Uninhabitable-EarthDavid-Wallace-Wells.pdf

Food Waste in America

By Priyal

Patel

Food waste has become a big issue in the last 100 years. As more food has become available for consumption in developed countries, more food gets added to the trash piles. We waste about "40 million tons or 30-40 percent of the entire U.S. food supply" every year in America alone. Why does this happen? Food waste in America is increasing, mainly due to Americans' lack of knowledge about their trash and its impact on the world. We do not get taught about what happens to food waste in school. It is not adequately integrated into curriculums nor taught to the community members. Regulations are just posted on a site and are meant to be read. In general, Americans and people in developed countries are used to one-use products and throwing things away out of convenience. They do not like messing with the sticky. When people see the "best by" date, they believe they should dispose of the item because of misconceptions of the term. "Best by" is used to express "the recommended date for the best flavor or quality. Even if the date has passed on a product someone has at home, it should be safe to consume if stored and handled properly." To add to this, once we consume the food, we dispose of it into the trash but do not know where it will end up. Many people do not even know their options between recycling or composting and properly disposing of items. What can we do? As a nation, we can improve our education. The U.N. has helped push this conversation through with implementing their sustainable development goals, which includes multiple topics like "zero hunger and food security, quality education, and responsible production and consumption." By looking into these sustainability goals, more nations and communities can implement regulations that can help create sustainable and healthy practices. For example, the new composting laws that have been implemented in California require the state to provide organic waste collection bins and require residents to separate their organic waste from other garbage. Organic waste can include food scraps, vegetables, meat bones, compostable products, and biosolids. Senate Bill 1383 has also helped California pass another law to lessen food waste and food insecurity. It requires grocery stores to donate excess food to homeless shelters and food banks before it gets thrown away. This can help the community in multiple ways. Grocery stores will cut down on the excess amounts of food they supply not to lose money to donations or provide for the community and help those in need by taking proper actions and donating food as soon as it becomes available. The U.N.'s sustainability goals are widely applicable, and we must start somewhere. California took six years after the Senate Bill 1383 to start up these new laws, but now their progress can hopefully inspire others. What are we doing at Rutgers? Here at Rutgers, we have the Rutgers Composting club with compost collections every couple of weeks. The club is currently working with Rutgers SEA (students for environmental awareness) to increase the composting initiative across campus. They discuss ideas with the dining hall staff and are very passionate about them. Rutgers SEA

teaches the Rutgers community about composting through infographics located on their Instagram page @rutgers.sea. Food waste in America is a big issue; however, there is so much that we can all do to decrease the amount of food waste. Many communities would benefit from following California's example. With clubs like Rutgers Composting and Rutgers SEA, we can still push the university to make a difference.

Works Cited Blodgett, Tim. “New California law requires food to be donated, not tossed.” CBS 8, KFMB-TV, 1 January 2022, https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/local/new-california-law-looks-curb-food-waste/509-fdfeff2e-a34a-40d9a198-fa75336f5e53. Accessed 11 February 2022.

Cohen, Ervin. “New California Compost Law Goes into Effect | Ervin Cohen & Jessup LLP - JDSupra.” JD Supra, Ervin Cohen & Jessup LLP, 5 January 2022, https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/new-california-compost-lawgoes-into-3245289/. Accessed 11 February 2022.

Klemm, Sarah. “Understanding Dates on Food Labels.” Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 4 April 2019, https:// www.eatright.org/homefoodsafety/safety-tips/food-poisoning/understanding-food-labels. Accessed 11 February 2022.

rts. “Food Waste in America in 2022: Statistics & Facts | RTS.” Recycle Track Systems, rts, https://www.rts.com/ resources/guides/food-waste-america/. Accessed 11 February 2022.

United Nations. “THE 17 GOALS | Sustainable Development.” Sustainable Development Goals, United Nations, https://sdgs.un.org/goals. Accessed 11 February 2022.

Source: https://media.istockphoto.com/photos/making-compost-from-vegetable-leftovers-pictureid1160205101?b=1&k=20&m=1160205101&s=612x612&w=0&h=YOW5e3GKnR20qnEEpjbOM9sMelCgJMzmI0tjFhshvU=

Water Conservation and Diet

By Angel Tello

Water is considered a basic building block of life; it covers more than twothirds of our planet, but this seemingly abundant resource has to be preserved. Although it may seem plentiful, most of the water on earth is not drinkable. 3% of the earth's water is fresh, 2.5% of the earth's freshwater is unavailable: locked up in glaciers, polar ice caps, atmosphere, and soil; highly polluted; or lies too far under the earth's surface to be extracted at an affordable cost. This leaves only .5% available to us to drink, use for crops, and other activities where salt water and polluted water just won’t do (Bureau of Reclamation). Are you aware of how much water you use daily? The amount of water you use can be calculated, but for most it’s a burden on time to figure it out, so many choose to ignore it. People choose to claim ignorance when a simple task like not letting a faucet run while you brush your teeth can save a few gallons a day, taking shorter showers, or even replacing one meat in your day for a protein substitute. Meat, surprisingly, is one of the most water-demanding goods. A single pound of beef takes 1,847 gallons to produce, a pound of chicken takes 518 gallons to produce, and an ordinary egg takes 53 gallons to produce (Delynko). In order to preserve our most prized resource, it seems likely meat production will have to be regulated, or at least new production methods will have to be researched to reduce how much water is wasted in the process. Cows need land, and that land has to be watered constantly in order for them to eat the grass. Also, cows, like most living organisms, require water to survive. Their daily intake of water, multiplied by how many years they take to mature is accounted for, which gives us the absurd number of 1,847 gallons of water per pound of beef. Our obsession with meat has been instilled into us by the “oversimplification of our nutritional needs in primary school thanks to the food pyramid” (Stampfer) , a grossly flawed tool we have grown to use as the standard of health and nutrition for our nation’s youth. It was determined that there are too many variables to consider when creating a healthy diet, and that it was easier for scientists to simply decide what foods are good and bad and lump them into categories, emphasizing some groups more than others. All over the world we have seen examples of entire countries that refuse to consume beef and turn to tofu, insects, lentils, and fish. Many claim they need meat in their diet or that a vegetarian diet is too expensive and doesn’t yield enough nutrients. But after speaking to a few fellow students who happen to be vegetarians, I found that not only is this lifestyle cheaper than most people think, it is also sustainable. Most of them find their

protein in lentils, nuts, and wheat protein, as well as protein shakes and bars. Their nutrients are mostly filled in due to the amount of fruits and vegetables they eat. The only thing they were deficient in was iron, which can be fixed by taking a pill a day.

Like many things, conservation requires patience and some research and there are wrong ways to do it and right ways to do it. It’s important to do your own research and find what best benefits you and make sure you are getting all the essential nutrients. If you are able to adjust your habits to accommodate the need to conserve water, even if it’s a minor adjustment, these small feats of conscious preservation will stack over time. Water is not necessarily scarce, but being that it is so essential to life, it seems almost irresponsible to not treat it as so.

Works Cited

California-Great Basin, Bureau of Reclamation. “Central California Area Office.” Water Facts - Worldwide Water Supply | ARWEC| CCAO | Area Offices | California-Great Basin | Bureau of Reclamation, 4 Nov. 2020, https://www.usbr.gov/mp/arwec/water-facts -ww-water-sup.html#:~:text=0.5%25% 20of%20the%20earth's%20water,for% 20each%20person%20on%20earth.

Stampfer, Meir J. “Rebuilding the Food Pyramid.” Scientific American, Scientific American, 1 Dec. 2006, https:// www.scientificamerican.com/article/ rebuilding-the-food-pyramid/ #:~:text=After%201992%20more%20and% 20more,complex%20carbohydrates% 20good%20for%20you.

Delynko, Kristi. “What's the Beef with Water?” Denver Water, TAP, 14 Feb. 2019, https:// www.denverwater.org/tap/whats-beefwater#:~:text=It%20takes% 20approximately%201%2C847% 20gallons,the%20way%20to%20the% 20top.