Some Countries Are Better Prepared for an Energy Crisis This Time As the Iran war shocks oil prices, countries that have invested in renewables, EVs, and battery development since the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine are seeing the value of their investments.

The Strait of Hormuz closure has thrown the world into yet another energy crisis. Countries that invested in renewables after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine are better prepared to weather it, but they’re still at risk.

@noahjgordon.bsky.social explains: carnegieendowment.org/emissary/202...

Growing pains: how will the fertiliser crisis affect food supply? - Land and Climate Review Alasdair and Noah Gordon discuss the international and environmental politics of fertilisers.

Growing pains: how will the fertiliser crisis affect food supply?

I joined Alasdair MacEwen to discuss the fertilizer crisis on the Land and Climate Review podcast. landclimate.org/growing-pains/
@landclimate.bsky.social

Some Countries Are Better Prepared for an Energy Crisis This Time As the Iran war shocks oil prices, countries that have invested in renewables, EVs, and battery development since the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine are seeing the value of their investments.

The global energy system is on fire, and no one is safe. But the countries that learned from the 2022 oil shock-- China, Spain, Pakistan--have added enough electrotech to offer some protection.
My new piece for the @carnegieendowment.org carnegieendowment.org/emissary/202...

Who will be Trump's Zhang Yufeng?

The Missing Piece of the US Power Grid: Transformers It’s not just red tape that’s limiting the supply of electricity in America. Grids are physical machines, and they’re short on transformers.

US power grids are missing key pieces: transformers. Permitting reform and tax credits aren't enough without key electrical components.
My piece for the National Interest (w/Sia Were)
nationalinterest.org/blog/energy-...

My piece on the fertilizer crisis

Fertilizer shortage Iran war: Hormuz block could create global food crisis. Even if the Iran war stops, restarting production and transport for fertilizers and their components could take weeks—at a crucial moment for planting.

I wrote about the fertilizer crisis for @carnegieendowment.org

carnegieendowment.org/emissary/202...

In most climate fiction Texas doesn't run out of water until the 2030s, but here we are www.texastribune.org/2026/03/08/t...

Vanuatu wants a UN resolution to urge countries to implement the ICJ ruling on climate action.
The climate bully in Washington wants them to back down.
I spoke to @olliemilman.bsky.social for this Guardian piece www.theguardian.com/world/2026/m...

Trump’s War on Iran Could Screw Over US Farmers The Middle East supplies a huge amount of the world’s fertilizer. Conflict in the region has sent prices soaring ahead of the critical spring planting season.

links www.wired.com/story/trumps...
adamtooze.substack.com/p/chartbook-...

The world's farmers ask: did Israel/the US have to launch this war at the start of spring planting season?

left is @mollytaft.com
right is @adamtooze.bsky.social

"Trump is using US power to scare other countries into reducing their climate ambition" @noahjgordon.bsky.social told me. And tariffs are the main tool "the bullies in the White House are wielding."

Today #SCOTUS ruled that Trump’s "emergency" tariffs are illegal. But that might not stop him

Fossil electricity gets huge demand growth and a renewables-hating administration and puts up these weak ass numbers? deeply embarrassing stuff

t.co/icRRrmIOAL link h/t @eunicehcho.bsky.social

Left: ICE plans for a Georgia detention camp, 2026
Right: the slave ship Brooks, 1788

The dots are people.

I've seen this image before

Trump Is Strong-Arming the World Out of Climate Action Washington is leveraging its power to intimidate countries that are trying to protect the planet.

foreignpolicy.com/2026/02/18/t...

The US climate bullying continues at the IEA in Paris

Trump Is Strong-Arming the World Out of Climate Action Washington is leveraging its power to intimidate countries that are trying to protect the planet.

The US has become a climate bully.
The sabotage of the IMO shipping levy is the most dramatic example. The pressure on Vanuatu to stop its legal efforts is the most recent.
My new piece for @foreignpolicy.com

foreignpolicy.com/2026/02/18/t...

The left is missing out on AI As a movement, it has largely refused to engage seriously with AI, ceding debate about a threat and opportunity to the right

this was thought provoking: www.transformernews.ai/p/the-left-i...

The leaders of the ostensible opposition party seem to be happy with no discussion at all

What are the best examples of Chinese climate bullying?

Trump Is Strong-Arming the World Out of Climate Action Washington is leveraging its power to intimidate countries that are trying to protect the planet.

The US has become a climate bully.
The sabotage of the IMO shipping levy is the most dramatic example. The pressure on Vanuatu to stop its legal efforts is the most recent.
My new piece for @foreignpolicy.com

foreignpolicy.com/2026/02/18/t...

this David Brooks character is from Reign of Terror by @attackerman.bsky.social

Where do we think Joey Tabula-Rasa is today?

Life in Cuba Is Grinding to a Halt Under U.S. Oil Blockade The Communist Caribbean island is in crisis as airlines cancel flights, hotels close and authorities furlough workers.

www.wsj.com/world/life-i...

This lie about Cuba is from the guy DOGE sent to kill USAID

Comfortable Lies and Inconvenient Truths Confronting difficult implications and realities of the green tech revolution

thechinalab.substack.com/p/comfortabl...

What's the minimum viable scale for a fossil energy system? another brilliant edition of The China Lab by @jeremywallace.bsky.social, here highlighting @gruberte.bsky.social and Josh Lappert