Cold, but clean: EU reaffirms its commitment to climate plans

On October 6, the deputy head of the European Commission, Frans Timmermans, announced the achievement of the maximum demand for energy resources in the EU over the past quarter of a century. At the same time, gas prices in Europe have once again renewed their historical maximum, exceeding the mark of $ 1900 per thousand cubic meters.


- said Timmermans.



The main question now is whether the Nobel Prize has been awarded the economy this year? Because if not, then we have an excellent candidate for laureates. Brilliant economist and market expert. After all, it turns out that if demand grows, then prices rise along with it! Indeed, the invention of the supply and demand curve in 2021 is truly a real breakthrough in economic thought. And if the rest of the European bureaucrats think in the same way, then there is no need to fear for the future of Europe.

Quotas and Crisis: Instructions for Use

But seriously, such statements look primarily like a slap in the face of their own citizens, who are considered to be people who are not able to put two and two together: a loudly announced energy transition and a sudden crisis in the field of energy.

After all, the European CO2 emissions trading system, of course, has nothing to do with it.


- emphasizes Timmermans, the second person in the European Commission.

He also prefers to remain silent about the fact that unexpectedly calm weather on the shelf of the North Sea has become another reason for the crisis, which has reduced the volume of electricity generation from wind generators by three to four times. Indeed, why should ordinary Europeans know about this? Towards a zero carbon future you need to go together and in formation, without any shadow of doubt on your face. And the back thoughts be it: "What if a complete rejection of oil and gas will destroy the entire European energy?" must be severely nipped in the bud.

Amazing. It is striking how the seemingly conservative leadership of the EU suddenly turned out to be not just populists, but militant populists. And even in a situation where everything, including the market itself, goes against their decisions, they are ready to protect them to the last kilowatt remaining at the substation.

That's right, in their homes this winter it will be warm anyway. And people will endure somehow, not in the first. In the end, this is all done for descendants who will live centuries later in a "green" world and, obviously, remember how the EU froze, but refused to burn "dirty" fuel. Just like taking more gas from Russia on a long-term basis.

The ultimate end justifies the means, doesn't it? So Timmermans, as a true European bureaucrat, emphasizes that the rise in natural gas prices will not be able to force the European Union to abandon its climate goals:


They can be carved in stone, but the market cannot be fooled. His "invisible hand" at all times bypassed not such overshoots of the political leadership.

And now, against the background of the current critical situation in the European Union, coal consumption is growing at an accelerated pace.

Thus, for the first time in history, prices for thermal coal in Europe have exceeded $ 300 per ton. Despite the fact that the previous historical record, which was $ 219 per thousand kilograms, was held for almost thirteen and a half years - until October XNUMX of this year.

If this continues, then the EU will soon update records in general for all types of energy. Gas and coal are already on this list. Electricity and oil are obviously on the way.

Baltic energy "chord"

Speaking about the situation in the EU, one should not forget that the Union itself is a very heterogeneous structure. AND political each country has its own leaders.

So, is it any wonder that the "cherry on the cake" of the European bureaucratic madness of this fall was news from the Baltics.

As stated in RAO UES of Russia, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia will not be able to increase imports of Russian electricity, despite the coming severe energy shortage. This is due to the decisions made by the Lithuanian regulator, which physically limited the permissible volumes of energy flow from our country through the line from the Pskov region. At the same time, it is in the Baltic countries that one of the highest electricity prices in the EU is now recorded. For example, in Lithuania the price per megawatt-hour is now almost 350 euros. For comparison, the cost of the same amount of energy in Germany is € 302,5, and in France € 298,3.

Indeed, the energy crisis is high time to restrict supplies from Russia. Russophobia has warmed the hearts of Baltic politicians for many years, let's see if it will help them heat their homes this winter.

Shifting responsibility

It should be noted, however, that despite the colorful rhetoric and strong confidence in the commitment to the climate stance emitted by European officials, the EU still leaves room for maneuver.

So, on October 6, at a briefing in Brussels, the representative of the European Commission, Dana Spinant, said that the European Commission would nevertheless consider "all proposals coming from the EU countries" aimed at reforming the European energy market.

It is obvious that in conditions when the situation with prices is completely out of control, the EU structures decided in advance to "spread straw" and shift the problem from a sore head to a healthy one - that is, from themselves to the EU countries. Thus, Brussels, on the one hand, demonstrates openness and readiness for dialogue - an important democratic principle, and on the other, it relieves itself of part of the responsibility for the coming crisis and transfers it to the national governments of European countries.

After all, the fact that such decisions should have been made much earlier, as well as long-term contracts for gas supplies should have been concluded with Russia “yesterday”, is modestly hushed up in Brussels.

As a result, the EU is now reaping the fruits of its political miscalculations and unsupported ambitions. In the midst of the worst energy crisis in decades, announcing a commitment to the 2050 climate program while your population is at risk of freezing to death this winter is something you still need to know how to do.