March: out of the frying pan and into the fire

Exactly two years ago today I began my monthly updates and the April 1st posting of 2020 was entitled March: the month that changed the world.

This could equally apply to March 2022. With the pandemic apparently receding, one horror has been replaced by another, the war in Ukraine, a truly horrific invasion by Russia's despotic Vladimir Putin. The innocent civilians have suffered dreadfully and the early reaction of the inept UK Government to admitting refugees into the country did not make me particularly proud to be British.

The Times, March 2nd

I sympathise with young people throughout Europe, as the threat of a new World War looms in the background. To me it has echoes of that other standoff between Russia and the west, the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. At the time I was just starting my final year at Grammar School, and failed my mock A-level GCEs as I felt that there was no point in working or studying, as we wouldn't be around much longer. Thankfully a compromise was soon reached and we can only hope that the Russia-Ukraine crisis comes to an end soon.

Although the UK only takes 4% of its natural gas from Russia, Europe's dependence on Russian gas has exacerbated the energy crisis and there is an urgent need for Europe to rid itself of its dependency on Russian oil and gas, and this has been helped by the announcement last week that the USA will supply Europe with liquified gas to reduce the reliance on Russia.

The UK government is considering delaying the closure of some of the UK’s last remaining coal-fired power stations and a task force is being set up to bolster the UK's oil, gas and nuclear supplies, two senior industry experts at its head reporting directly to the Prime Minister and advising on a 'transition period' focusing on fossil fuels, as the Government signals its clearest move yet away from the Net Zero target. The Government insists that the Net Zero 2050 target has not been scrapped and is still the ultimate goal. But they admitted that in the short term the focus will shift back to fossil fuels to ease the pain for British households. This will include oil and gas from the North Sea and Canada, while fracking is also now a possibility again.

Naturally many of the environmental groups insist that we switch immediately to renewables, with no account being taken of the enormous amounts of minerals needed for the transition. The graphic below shows a different way of looking at it:

Source: International Energy Agency

Although the pandemic is reportedly waning, in reality it isn't. Most of us know people who have Covid; Jon and his family all tested positive during the month. Work and education are being disrupted, and the NHS is under severe pressure again due to new patients and sick staff. Luckily the vaccinations are proving effective and symptoms now are generally mild but we have to wonder if lifting rules on face coverings was perhaps a little premature.

We are having to learn how to live with Covid, and it was good to be travelling again, and socialising with people of all nationalities. Early in the month I was in USA for the Annual SME Meeting, and my first international social event outside the conference was the International Reception in Salt Lake City.

With the International Mining team in Salt Lake City

The March Cornish Mining Sundowner was also well attended with CSM alumni from around the world, including an alumna from Moscow. Two days later over 200 crammed into the bar at the Falmouth Hotel for the CSM Annual Dinner, and there were a few reports of positive Covid tests a few days later.

A crowded Falmouth Hotel bar

With past and present CSM students at the CSM Annual Dinner

March has been a dire month, brightened a little by the arrival of spring. Let's hope that there are glimmers of hope in April.

Spring lightens the gloom

@barrywills