Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, which is waged with incredible brutality, has not only cost tens of thousands of lives so far but has also shaken the interconnected structures of the global economy. The economies, which are characterised by extreme inequality between the geopolitical spheres, are currently eroding at a breathtaking pace, not only due to the sanctions against Russia but also, and above all, due to the artificially created energy shortage, the supply chain bottlenecks and the resulting price increases, particularly for everyday consumer goods.
In addition to inflation rates not seen for decades the multiple crises are currently leading to excessive price increases and shortages of food, which extremely exacerbate the gap between poor and rich countries and also between the wealthy and the destitute in the individual countries.
Do the multiple crises make it more difficult to phase out fossil fuels or do energy shortages and rising energy prices promote the energy transition? Susanne Geissler works in the sustainable buildings, energy efficiency and renewable energy sector and develops national and international research projects, particularly also in countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Johannes Schmidl is a physicist with decades of expertise in renewable energy, who has written a fascinating book entitled ‘Energy and Utopia’. In this edition of ‘Welt im Ohr’ Susanne Geissler and Johannes Schmidl analyse the current situation and discuss ways to a more sustainable energy future.
Guests:
Dr. Susanne Geissler: biologist, environmental engineer, PV planner, CEO of SERA – Institute for Sustainable Energy and Resources Availability
DI Johannes Schmidl: physicist, energy expert at Save Energy Austria, author, currently (2024): On the Dignity of Glaciers, Sonderzahl Verlag Vienna
Presented by:
Elisabeth-Christine Kirsch (OeAD)
Andreas Obrecht (OeAD/APPEAR)
Broadcast date: Friday 14 February 2025, 8:00–9:00 pm
Live listening: ORF Ö1 Campus
