The EU is getting further from its goal of weaning off Russian fossil fuels by 2027. Imports of Russian gas rose by 18 percent last year, a new analysis finds.
“It is a scandal that the EU is still importing Russian gas,” said Pawel Czyzak, an analyst at energy think tank Ember and lead author of the new report.
The spike in imports comes despite the fact that demand for gas stayed flat, according to the report. While the EU is aiming to disentangle itself from Russia, it still lacks a legally binding target or a plan to wean off fossil fuel imports.
Italy, Czechia, and France drove the uptick in shipments of cheap Russian gas, which were made possible by the use of “shadow” vessels registered in nations without sanctions, and the “whitewashing” of gas imports — Russian gas shipped via Belgium to Germany, for instance, is labeled as Belgian gas.
Last year, the EU imported 21.9 billion euros of Russian fossil fuels, a figure surpassing the 18.7 billion in financial aid it provided to Ukraine. The continued purchase of Russian gas “cannot be allowed to happen,” Czyzak said, “as financing Russia’s war is a direct threat to the bloc’s security.”
A prior analysis from Ember found that Europe could have weaned off Russian gas already, largely by speeding the buildout of clean energy. “The EU needs to stop dragging its feet and act immediately to implement legally binding measures — not empty promises — to set a clear timeline for ending Russian gas imports,” said Isaac Levi of the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. “Reliance on Russian gas exposes Europeans to price volatility, energy blackmail, and undermines support for its allies in Ukraine.”
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