Gabby Brown, gabby.brown@sierraclub.org
Early this morning, President Biden and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the development of plans to help the EU end its reliance on Russian gas in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The announcement lays out strategies to both expand the supply of US-produced gas to Europe and reduce Europe’s need for fossil fuels, though the latter is light on details about how this would be achieved or whether it includes investments in false solutions like blue hydrogen.
The agreement also includes a commitment from EU leaders to facilitate the construction of new and expanded gas import facilities – and it’s unclear whether the US would be providing financial support for this new fossil fuel infrastructure – as well as guaranteeing demand for US gas through 2030. To be cost-effective, new LNG infrastructure is understood to have at least a 20-year lifespan, so any investments in new infrastructure risks locking in use of fossil fuels not just for the next five years, but for decades. Experts agree that in order to achieve the climate goals the Biden administration has committed to, we need to halt fossil fuel expansion immediately, and global LNG trade needs to start declining by 2025.
In response, Kelly Sheehan, Sierra Club Senior Director of Energy Campaigns, released the following statement:
"Allowing for the expansion of new and expanded gas export facilities would lock in decades of reliance on risky, volatile fossil fuels and spell disaster for our climate and already overburdened Gulf Coast communities. We should be rapidly transitioning to affordable clean energy, not doubling down on fossil fuels. It’s encouraging to see this announcement’s emphasis on clean energy and energy efficiency, and we hope to see more detail soon about plans to reduce demand and make necessary investments in more efficient technologies. Reducing reliance on fossil fuels is the only way to stop being vulnerable to the whims of greedy industries and geopolitics.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.