Climate Campaigners Challenge Europe To Send A Clear Message To Gas Industry To Deter Climate Breakdown

Campaigners have challenged European governments to send a clear message to gas companies to avoid climate breakdown.

Power Plant Retirement Plan

Groups are worried that Europe's "tone-deaf" growth of fossil gas is hastening climate change and growing dependency on hostile regimes.

According to studies by the advocacy group Beyond Fossil Fuels, only four of Europe's gas-fired power plants have a retirement plan, and new projects will boost the continent's gas generation capacity by 27 percent.

It contends that the rush for gas defies the International Energy Agency's suggestion that rich countries decarbonize their energy systems within the next decade to keep the globe from warming by 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Campaigners utilized Global Energy Monitor data to map Europe's gas-fired power facilities, discovering that only 2% of the continent's capacity had a projected retirement date.

The analysis discovered that Italy, the United Kingdom, and Germany have the most planned and installed capacity to generate power from natural gas, a fuel that is cleaner than coal but still emits planet-warming pollutants into the atmosphere when dug up and used.

At last year's G7 climate and energy ministers summit, the three countries pledged to "fully or predominantly" decarbonize their power sectors by 2035.

Although around one-third of the planned power plants are also used to create heat, which is more difficult to provide cleanly than electricity, the remaining projects are solely for power or do not specify.

Clear Policy Direction

Beatrice Petrovich, an analyst at the climate thinktank Ember, stated that the modeling of energy transition paths revealed that natural gas would play a "diminishing role" in the European power generating mix.

She added that Europe needed a clear policy direction to roll out remedies at the necessary pace.

"Investment in renewables, grids and clean flexibility today is not just good for mitigating the dangerous increase in temperatures, but will cut bills for consumers and reduce the risk of price spikes connected with a volatile global gas market," Petrovich said.

European countries have rushed to expand fossil gas infrastructure since Russia invaded Ukraine, sending gas prices skyrocketing despite efforts to phase out fossil fuels on a global scale.

Terminals for receiving liquefied natural gas ships, pipelines to pump gas across the continent, and power plants to burn it are among the projects currently underway or in preparation.

In recent weeks, Europe's gas industry has faced increased scrutiny.

Earlier this month, climate activists in Denmark, Germany, Norway, the Netherlands, and Sweden blocked roads, ports, and refineries in protest of the government's plan to give permits for expanded North Sea oil and gas exploration.

The annual European Gas Conference, which was scheduled to take place this week in Vienna, has been cancelled due to worries about probable demonstrations.

"Unabated gas has a role to play in backing up renewables to maintain a secure, reliable energy system. The Climate Change Committee's independent analysis finds a power sector without unabated gas in 2035 would be likely to increase costs and delivery risks," said Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokesman.