ENERGY CRISIS AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Abstract

The energy crisis affects households, companies and countries all over Europe. But at the same time, it is a climate crisis. The aim with this research is to understand the climate perspective’s role in the energy crisis. Previous research about energy systems in relation to climate change suggest that fossil fuel dependency contributes to crises, for the producing and exporting countries. This research presents different conflicts the energy crisis gives rise to, in Sweden and Germany. Through a frame analysis, made on interviews with climate activists’, this essay identifies the activists perception of the problem of the energy crisis and its solution. The research shows that the crisis is more severe in Germany than in Sweden, because of Germany's dependency on Russian gas. Energy is known being discussed technocratically, but with the invasion of Ukraine, it has become politicized. The climate activists’ have found shortcomings in the politicization of the energy crisis, as well as the energy system in general, arguing that the climate perspective is left out. To prevent energy crises in the future, they argue for the need of an energy system based on renewables and criticize unsustainable economic growth.