So three days into the New Year and we have already had our first energy crisis, with a spat between Russia and Ukraine over gas prices. What started as a regional argument soon rapidly spread affecting Italy, Hungary, France, Germany and at least seven central and eastern European countries.

It has also highlighted just how dependent Europe has become on Russian Gas, especially with declining North Sea reserves. Russia accounts for about one-third of EU gas imports, and one-fifth of the gas used in EU. 

A great insight into oil industry strategy, via the Exxon funded Competitive Enterprise Institute, to destroy European support for Kyoto.  Also a showcase for the power of good old fashioned dumpster diving to get you the goods.  Read it here in the Independent.

One of the things we want to do on the Oil Change site is to generate the debate on a whole host of issues surrounding the oil industry as well as the move to clean energy. We want you to join in that debate.

Whether it is the inter-related politics of oil and war in the Middle East to the debates about climate change or peak oil; from the human rights impacts of oil in the Niger Delta to the ecological ones in the Arctic; from the politics of oil in Baku to the rising demand of oil in Beijing, if