By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
Missouri U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt says there are lessons to learn in the fallout from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Blunt, a Republican, says the crisis has exposed a flawed approach to energy by the West, an approach that has made it harder to respond to such aggression.
“Have we learned anything from what happened in Germany, where they eliminated nuclear to keep the Green Party in the government or get the Green Party in the government and then they wind up they’re alternative is not only arguably more environmentally troublesome than nuclear, but it’s coming from somebody you don’t want to be your absolute necessary partner?”
Blunt says there have been some fairly dire consequences from Europe attempting to detangle itself from relying on Russian oil. Blunt claims a more realistic deadline to transition from fossil fuels to renewable fuels would help the West better manage its energy needs.
“Almost all of this is doable if your deadline is 2046 or 2050,” according to Blunt. “It’s devastating if your deadline 2030. The increase in prices, the impact on the economy, the impact on families; absolutely unnecessary.”
Blunt says better planning would have helped.
“The lesson from Europe should be: know what you’re doing and when you get started, know you’ve got a plan that allows you to successfully work without damaging the people that you should be helping creating opportunities for rather than take opportunities away from.”
Blunt says Europe has found it isn’t as easy to cut off Russian oil as it might seem. Sanctions against Russia have prompted countries to cut off economic ties with Russia, including no longer buying its oil.
KFEQ Agriculture Director Dionne Bertling assisted with this article.