The world is past peak coal consumption and may reach peak oil consumption within the next ten years, Alexei Kudrin, the head of the Russian Accounts Chamber, told media this week. The official noted Russia will need to learn to rely less on oil export revenues over these next ten years. Otherwise, Kudrin added, this will become a serious problem in 20 years. Meanwhile, investments are necessary now to diversify the Russian economy away from oil, Kudrin said, noting steps being made in that direction, specifically in the digitalization of the economy and in science and innovation. “Maybe we should have started working in that direction a bit sooner,” the official said. The remarks of the Accounts Chamber’s head echo earlier comments made by Russia’s deputy financial minister. “The peak of consumption may have already passed,” Vladimir Kolychev told Bloomberg in an interview last year. “The risk is rising […]