It might seem that the European Union is pursuing two energy policies. One, predominant until February 25, is guided by the global effort to avoid the climate crisis. It emphasizes a reduction in greenhouse gases, a gradual replacement of fossil fuels and a considerable extension to renewable energy resources.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine, another energy policy has been imposed in order to refocus European efforts around new supplies of coal, oil and gas instead of Russian deliveries. Governments are looking for workarounds to expand or extend current electricity or home heating production (admittedly still primarily based on fossil fuels), forcing diplomats and corporations to secure new energy supplies, especially in liquefied natural gas from all over the world.
Let’s be clear: fundamentally, our orientations have not changed. Carbon neutrality remains our goal, and I am convinced that we will achieve it, as planned, around 2050. What has changed is the world around us. The brutal aggression of Putin’s Russia against an independent country has shocked our society in such a way that the usual routine is no longer possible.
For the Kremlin wielding dictatorial powers over its vast territory and population, it must be disconcerting that our governments are listening to the voices of their citizens. Yes, we are listening to them, however, and what our citizens are saying very clearly is that they want us to reduce our dependence on Russia. In the Czech Republic, more than 90% of the population supports Ukraine. We have taken in 360,000 Ukrainian refugees (which corresponds to 4% of the country’s population) and we remain one of the main arms suppliers to kyiv. When we say we support Ukraine, it’s not just words.
It is for this reason that we want to get rid of Russian oil and gas as soon as possible. For the European Union, this is not an easy task, especially where natural gas is concerned. In 2021, more than 40% of EU consumption came from Russian gas, 155 billion cubic meters in total. Replacing such a quantity in the short term is difficult, but not impossible. One of the solutions is of course to import liquefied natural gas elsewhere, and this is where Canada can play an important role. Perhaps even more important than that assumed by many countries at the moment, for reasons of energy security, of course, but also for climatic reasons. More liquefied natural gas on the market means less coal consumed.
It is clear that the globalized world we knew before COVID-19 will not return. At least not with the level of mutual trust and dependence that has been ours for the past three decades. […] Several hypotheses are currently being examined in depth to deal with the sequence of events. One thing is certain, it is likely that the world will find itself divided into several blocks. Hopefully these blocs can still cooperate to some extent, especially on key issues facing our planet, such as climate change.
Nevertheless, it is a safe bet that priority will be given to promoting unity within each partnership. The alliance of democratic countries with, at its heart, the European Union, the United States, Canada, Japan, Korea, Australia and New Zealand will be our refuge in this new world of unstable dynamics. . This alliance may be less solid than we had hoped for in past decades, but it will be much stronger than if we were content to carry our files individually. After all, democratic countries are not going to disappear from the face of the planet. As well as they support each other.