A newly signed agreement is aimed at reducing the EU’s dependence on Russian energy supplies amid the Ukraine crisis
An agreement between the US and EU unveiled on Friday, which envisages additional supplies of American liquefied natural gas (LNG) into the European market, could “spell disaster for our climate,” environmental groups have warned. The deal is aimed at decreasing Europe’s dependence on Russian energy supplies by partly replacing them with American fossil fuels.
However, environmentalists take issue with the idea of swapping one source of fossil fuels for another instead of “Transitioning to clean, affordable energy.”
“The expansion of gas export facilities that are larger and more efficient would result in the end of decades of dependence on volatile, volatile fossil fuels. This could spell doom for communities along the Gulf Coast already suffering from climate change.” Kelly Sheehan, senior director of energy campaigns at the Sierra Club, an American environmental organization, said in a statement on Friday.
Sheehan concluded that it was only by “Reducing dependence on fossil energy” that countries could “Stop being dependent on the greedy industries or geopolitics.”
Echoing the above warnings, Kassie Siegel, director of the Center for Biological Diversity’s Climate Law Institute, equated “New toxic export facilities are being built and there is more methane gas for decades.” with a “For those who are on the frontlines for climate disaster, death is a sentence.” She added that more American LNG “won’t solve Europe’s current crisis” anyway.
“Approving more fossil fuel production and export terminals is just one way to fuel our firebrand world.” she said.
The International Energy Agency states that humans should cease building any new fossil fuel infrastructure in order to stop global temperature rises exceeding 1.5C. Scientists predict that the threshold will soon be exceeded and the world could experience dangerous heatwaves as well flooding, droughts, fires, etc., that could cause mass displacement.
Speaking in Brussels on Friday, President Joe Biden announced that the LNG supply deal would ensure that “Families in Europe are able to get through the winter.” while putting a dent in Russia’s gas revenue, which, according to Biden, Moscow pumped into its “war machine.” He also claimed that the plan would not undermine his administration’s ambitious climate goals, saying that the conflict in Ukraine would serve as a “Catalyst” for broader introduction of renewables.
The deal will see America provide additional 15 billion cubic metres of LNG to Europe this year. The cited quantity of LNG will supplant approximately a tenth the amount imported from Russia. Brussels revealed plans to increase LNG imports from the US, and other countries in the future. This is a move to reduce dependence on Russian fossil fuels.
Share this story via social media
[ad_2]
