Trump's energy policy is one of the most pro-Putin things he's doing

Whatever Trump’s domestic reasons for pursuing an anti-environmental agenda, we shouldn’t overlook that Russia and Saudi Arabia, the two nations with whom he appears to be most friendly and supportive (whether because they have him over a barrel, so to speak, or because he genuinely admires their authoritarian rule, or perhaps both) are nations whose wealth, global prestige, and internal stability depend inordinately on production and export of fossil fuels.

The Russian economy depends dangerously on petroleum and coal, which account for about 15 percent of GDP, more than 50 percent of government revenues, and 60 percent of exports. Those are official numbers; some economists have calculated that fossil fuels actually account for up to 70 percent of Russia’s GDP. As relatively low oil prices have persisted over the past few years, Russia’s GDP has plummeted. From 2013 to 2015, Russia’s GDP declined by almost a trillion dollars — more than 40% percent.

If low oil prices are already a threat to Russia’s economy, low demand would be catastrophic. A world in which major economies are abandoning fossil fuels and converting to renewables is a world in which demand for Russia’s number one export product falls. Which is a world in which Russia is poorer, has less leverage over its trading partners, and has less geopolitical prestige and influence. Which is a world in which Vladimir Putin’s hold on power is less assured and perhaps, eventually, precarious.

A similar set or arguments can be made about Saudi Arabia and its ruling family.

Trump’s pro-petroleum, anti-renewable energy policies are bad for America, if by “America” you mean the American people, along with their health, wealth, and overall security. If, on the other hand, by “America” you mean U.S. oil and natural gas companies and the individuals who own them, then maybe you can make a twisty and vaguely plausible argument that Trump’s energy policies are actually good for America because they create jobs (although this argument, such as it is, depends entirely on ignoring the well-attested fact that more new jobs are being created in the renewable energy sector than in any other sector of the U.S. energy economy).

What’s indisputably true, however, is that Trump’s energy policies are very good for the Kremlin and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. For its part, Russia stands to gain as much if not more from Trump’s anti-renewable energy policies than from the potential relaxation of the sanctions imposed by Obama. Indeed, Russia stands to gain more from these policies than from any other thing Trump has the power to do as president.

Trump’s agenda is in many respects a wishlist of Vladimir Putin’s priorities; energy policy is far from being the least of these.

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