Moving away from fossil fuel dependency more imperative than ever

Commenting on the proposals presented today by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen ahead of the meeting of EU Energy Ministers on Friday (9 September) Ska Keller MEP, President of the Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament, comments:

"We support the package of measures announced by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, notably to skim off windfall profits from energy companies which we as Greens/EFA have been calling for from the beginning of the energy crisis. A binding electricity reduction target is a key measure, as the cheapest energy is the one we do not consume. The solidarity contribution to be paid for by fossil fuel companies is necessary, given their excess profits, while ensuring companies are less exposed to market volatility and speculation.

"What is missing from the proposals are clear and binding measures to protect households at risk of or in energy poverty. Indeed, too many people in the EU are already struggling to find where else they can make savings. The Commission and energy ministers must ensure that revenues from skimming off excess profits and lower gas purchase prices reach households and businesses suffering from the massive explosion in energy costs."

Philippe Lamberts MEP, President of the Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament, comments:

"Moving away from fossil fuel dependence has long been an imperative if we want to keep calling our planet home. It is vital to create an EU-wide solidarity mechanism to help citizens of less wealthy member states to withstand the looming energy crisis, in order not to allow Putin to divide us. 

“We call on EU governments to implement a large-scale energy-saving programme with binding savings targets and swift increase of investments into energy efficiency measures such as the replacement of gas boilers with heat pumps. Paying companies and households for electricity demand reduction during peak hours during this winter, support for thermal insulation and measures such as an EU-wide solar initiative will help to prepare for the future in the midterm while both saving money, creating jobs and making the EU less dependent on dictators like Vladimir Putin. We call on energy ministers to adopt the Commission's proposals as a package and send a clear signal to the Russian President that his strategy of using energy as a weapon to divide our society is not working."