Gilman writes frequently about planetary politics, including a book about which I will talk about sometime. Today's Daily Planet is from his Substack.

The coming ecological Cold War marks a profound geopolitical shift centered not on ideology but on the metabolic foundation of modern civilization—energy and decarbonization. As the world grapples with the urgent need to transition to a low-carbon economy, two opposing blocs are emerging. China has transformed from a major polluter into a green hegemon, leveraging state-led industrial policy to dominate solar panel production, battery manufacturing, and renewable infrastructure. This green authoritarianism positions China as a global leader in ecological modernization, blending environmental goals with geopolitical ambition.

Opposing this is a petro-axis comprising the United States, Russia, and Saudi Arabia, united by their dependence on fossil fuels and resistance to decarbonization. Each pursues its own interests: the U.S. oscillates between climate action and fossil-fuel nationalism; Russia relies on hydrocarbons for power and influence; Saudi Arabia aims to remain the last major oil producer. Together, they form an ideological and economic coalition defending carbon-based industrialism, framing the green transition as a threat to sovereignty and identity.

According to Gilman, this new Cold War transcends traditional political divides, pitting a Sino-European alliance focused on ecological modernization against a petro-state axis defending fossil sovereignty. The outcome will shape not only global power dynamics but the very habitability of the planet, so no pressure guys.