RUSSIAN AGGRESSION

WAR FUELED BY OIL AND GAS REVENUES

A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE - Imagine a means to store electricity as green hydrogen for the load levelling of national grids, while also supplying energy for commercial vans and heavy duty trucks. Imagine that you did not need to rely on oil and gas imports. Imagine that there were no fossil fuel protests - because you do not rely on fossil fuels.

CURRENT POLICIES LEAD TO, AND CAN FUEL CRIMINAL AGGRESSION

It's a wake up call for the world. Who would have thought that Russia had been saving up the revenues from oil and gas sales to be able to launch an unprovoked attack on the Ukraine.

Experts believe that it was entirely predictable, given the Imperialist aspirations of the Russian leader, a former KGB officer.

Europe and the rest of the world could have been developing solar and wind renewable energy, to make themselves 100% independent - in terms of energy security.

It is hardly surprising that activists like 'Just Stop Oil' are trying to draw attention to the fact that we do not need oil.

CONFLICTS OF INTERESTS - We sympathize with scientists like Emma Smart, who understand only too well, that sitting on your hands, is like setting fire to forests and, giving the go ahead to foreign dictators, in a sort of it's okay by us. We'll keep on giving you money for your invasion plans. Only a government without an intelligence service would not know that this is what they are/were doing.

What the current conflict between Russia and the very brave Ukrainians has shown in big bold letters, is what Europe, Canada, Australia and the US - should have been doing - was to develop alternative fuels as quickly as they could. In the interests of preserving world peace.

The writing was on the wall 30 years ago. Climate change is fueled by oil and gas, to add to war crimes to the list, when you give a dictator in charge of a massive supply of fossil fuels, a green light.

Let us be clear that INACTION, is a big green light.

There have been almost no checks and balances on foreign purchases of houses and other businesses, that allows Russian billionaires to launder their money - at the expense of sustainable housing. Where builders have been given the green light to construct thousands of executive homes in the UK that the ordinary man in the street cannot afford on ordinary wages. The minimum wage. If a person on the minimum wage cannot afford a decent standard of living, we have an inequitable society - geared for privileged to profit from the perspiration of the less well off.

This has resulted in a renting nation of financial slaves. But once again, policies (at least in the UK) are seen to encourage such investment. Much the same as fossil fuel subsidies, encourage investment in oil.

XR - Protestors on Westminster Bridge in central London, are only doing what their heart tells them is right. They expect climate action in a modern democracy. Not policies that are designed to keep our Lords in the lap of luxury, at the expense of invasion of the Ukraine, by alleged war criminals such as Vladimir Putin. Acquiescence is the equivalent of encouragement.

I'M ALL RIGHT JACK - It may seem morally repugnant to most people, but you try saying no to money for nothing. All the former energy minister had to do was use his position of trust, to keep the oil flowing. Many people in politics join to obtain powerful positions, gain a second income and profit from corporation who are willing to pay to keep them in business. Some join to give their voters a safe life, and sustainable future for their children. The only way to ensure that democracy is served, it total transparency when in comes to conflicts of interest. Declarations must be made openly and honestly - and consultancy jobs on the side, must be prohibited. Then, and only then we take out the inclination of self serving politicians, to profit where they can. We say that such actions should be treated as fraud, with prosecutions, and profits from such proceeds of crime, confiscated. The same applied to foreign investment, when it cannot be shown that taxes have been paid on money, and that they of not the proceeds of drug, human trafficking, military arms or oil bribes.

Former energy minister John Hayes, who has likened climate protesters to ‘Radical Islam’, has received a £50,000 salary from BB Energy since 2018. The former Conservative minister who has criticised climate change policies and joined calls to restart fracking has been paid £150,000 by an oil firm, openDemocracy can reveal.

Since 2018, John Hayes, who served as an energy minister in David Cameron’s government, has worked for BB Energy as a strategic adviser. His register of interests says he currently earns £50,000 in the role, for about 11 days’ work a year. This comes on top of his standard MP salary of £81,932. Founded in Lebanon, BB Energy is one of the world’s “leading independent energy trading companies”, trading more than 33 million metric tonnes of oil every year. When MPs have lucrative side-jobs for private firms it raises questions over whose interests they are serving.

Forty-three members of the House of Lords have a financial stake in the oil and gas industry, prompting accusations of “unethical” conflicts of interest.

Analysis by The Ferret news website shows that 33 of them own shares worth at least £50,000 each, across 19 fossil fuel companies. Ten more have jobs in the sector – advising firms, or acting as chair or director.

Almost one in ten Conservative peers has financial interests in oil and gas. A further 17 peers without political affiliations also have financial interests in the sector, as do three Labour peers. Five of the 43 are Scottish politicians.

Greenpeace today accused politicians of being “worryingly cosy” with the fossil fuel industry. A spokesperson said: “How can these powerful people be trusted to seize the opportunities of the green industries of the future, when they directly benefit from propping up business as usual?”

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