Last year, The Guardian did a five-month investigation into “carbon bombs,” or fossil fuel projects that would, over the course of their life, emit over one billion tons of carbon. They found that there are 195 planned oil and gas carbon bombs around the world, and if they proceed as planned, these projects alone would blow past internationally agreed upon climate targets. For our eleventh deep dive on carbon bombs, we take a look at the Bovanenkovo Gas Field: a major natural gas formation in Arctic Russia. The Bovanenkovo Gas Field holds 6.05 trillion cubic meters of natural gas, giving it the potential to emit 11.2 billion tons of carbon dioxide. But beyond climate and environmental issues, Bovanenkovo presents another major concern: revenue from that natural gas is funding the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Today, we explore how Bovanenkovo gas affects the surrounding community, how it ties into the war in Ukraine, and what needs to happen for Russia, Ukraine, and NATO to achieve a more sustainable and peaceful future. With special guest Dr. Katarzyna Zysk: Professor of International Relations and Contemporary History at the Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies.

The Sweaty Penguin is presented by Peril and Promise: a public media initiative from The WNET Group in New York, reporting on the issues and solutions around climate change. You can learn more at pbs.org/perilandpromise.

Support the show and unlock exclusive merch, bonus content, and more for as little as $5/month at patreon.com/thesweatypenguin.

CREDITS
Writers: Emma Jones, Owen Reith, Velina Georgi, Ethan Brown
Fact Checker: Alia Bonanno
Editor: Megan Antone
Producers: Ethan Brown, Hallie Cordingley, Shannon Damiano, Owen Reith
Ad Voiceover: Maddie Salman
Music: Brett Sawka

The opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the host and guests. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of Peril and Promise or The WNET Group.