Brussels – Seven EU countries overwhelmingly deepened their fossil fuel dependence with their energy crisis response measures following the US and Israel’s illegal attack on Iran, according to new research by Greenpeace International.
Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Sweden, Germany, Greece and Ireland spent €9.9 billion on energy crisis relief, 85% of the total across all EU countries, and most of this on supports that benefitted the fossil fuel industry instead of targeting at-risk people or lowering dependence on oil and gas, Greenpeace has warned.
Greenpeace EU spokesperson John Hyland said: “Ordinary people are hugely exposed to skyrocketing energy bills because their governments and the EU have developed serious dependencies on oil and gas. The government response to the Hormuz energy crisis has been mostly to dig these dependencies deeper, so the next shock will hurt more. If this political will and taxpayer money was paving the way off oil and gas, bills would be lower, our air cleaner and climate safer, and Europe freer from extortion by bullies. Fossil fuel companies have been raking in billions during this crisis, a tax on their profits would go a huge way to pay for the transition.”
The most common energy crisis measures in the countries analysed were untargeted supports, like fuel tax cuts. The analysis shows that because of the lack of clear target groups or conditions for these support measures, they ultimately benefit high-income households and large, polluting corporations, rather than protecting the most vulnerable people.
Across the countries analysed, there was a widespread lack of policy to cut energy waste as a response to the crisis, with few efforts to promote remote working, incentivise insulation, reduce speed limits or replace imported fossil-fuel-based fertilisers. Only Sweden prioritised clean transport over the massive subsidisation of private vehicles, the main driver of dependence on imported fuel on the continent, and only the Netherlands incentivised a structural reduction in fertiliser dependency.
None of the countries analysed introduced new taxes on fossil fuel company profits, which increased during the crisis.
EU electrification plans
On 15 July, the European Commission is set to release its plans to increase electrification of buildings, transport and industry in the EU.
Electrification of the end use of energy is essential to unhook Europe from oil and gas, but without going hand-in-hand with plans to move to 100% renewable energy and to cut energy waste, it won’t do enough to cut fossil fuel use and help vulnerable people, Greenpeace warns.
Contacts:
Greenpeace EU spokesperson John Hyland: +32 471 75 89 85, [email protected],
Greenpeace EU press desk: +32 2 274 1911, [email protected]
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Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning network that acts to change attitudes and behaviour, to protect and conserve the environment and to promote peace. We do not accept donations from governments, the EU, businesses or political parties. Greenpeace has over three million supporters, and 26 independent national and regional organisations with offices in more than 55 countries.
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