As countries struggle to reduce their dependence on Russia’s oil and gas following its invasion of Ukraine, the European Union remains vulnerable, BBC reports.
It is pointed out that the EU gets about 40 percent of its gas from Russia: according to Transport & Environment research group, this dependence costs about $118 million a day.
«But moving with a speed few thought possible, the EU has now laid out a strategy that could cut reliance on this fuel source by two thirds within a year,» the European Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans said.
The REPowerEU plan aims to make Europe independent of Russian fossil fuels by 2030, but the initial efforts focus solely on gas.
The roadmap essentially proposes finding alternative sources of gas in the next few months and improving energy efficiency, while doubling down on greener energy sources in the medium to long term.
«It’s hard, bloody hard. But it is possible if we’re willing to go further and faster than we’ve done before,» the European Commission Vice President said.
Negotiations are underway with existing gas suppliers, including Norway, Algeria and Azerbaijan, to increase flows.
The plan envisages ending reliance on all Russian fossil fuels «well before» 2030.
In the short term, gas should come from the U.S. and Africa, while some countries may need more coal in the coming months.
The European Commission Head Ursula von der Leyen believes that the EU also proposes a mass increase in the use of renewable energy sources, biogas and hydrogen.
The situation in Ukraine remains complicated. Fighting continues. Russia started a special military operation on February 24, 2022. The number of military and civilian casualties continues to grow. Many states have imposed and continue to impose severe sanctions on Russia. Humanitarian corridors have been opened for the evacuation of civilians from several Ukrainian cities.
