02 | Electric World Order | Rest of World

02 | Electric World Order | Rest of World

From The Polycrisis by The Polycrisis

March 31, 2026 · 28 min · Season 1 · Episode 2

About this episode

The episode discusses the relationship between the US dollar and energy access in Africa, featuring insights from Mark Blyth and Naa Adjekai Adjei.

What does the US dollar have to do with energy access in Africa? Mark Blyth explains why countries are so keen to cut back their US dollar dependence; and how that’s connected to the way they get energy. Also, why Germany is afraid of Chinese EVs. Then we talk to Adjekai Adjei about how these constraints actually play out in the African continent. Guests: Mark Blyth - professor of international economics at Brown University. Naa Adjekai Adjei - Nigeria-based expert in Chin...

People in this episode

Guests: Mark Blyth, Naa Adjekai Adjei

Topics covered

  • energy access
  • US dollar dependence
  • electric vehicles
  • Africa
  • international economics
  • China
  • Germany

Keywords

  • US dollar
  • energy access
  • Africa
  • electric vehicles
  • Germany
  • China
  • international economics

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Brown University

Products: EVs

Places: Africa, Germany, China

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