Page 12 - FSUOGM Week 10 2022

FSUOGM POLICY FSUOGM

NGOs call for embargo on all

Russian oil and gas imports

EUROPE THE EU should ban all imports of oil and gas to reduce oil consumption in the short term,
from Russia “to stop financing Putin’s war on such as reductions in vehicle travel, a ramp-up
Extra LNG is not the Ukraine,” 25 European NGOs have demanded in the use of electric cars and public transport, an
answer, according to in a public appeal to leaders. accelerated expansion in wind and solar power
the NGOs. To ensure that no Russian fuels find their way development and a doubling of investments in
into the EU, the NGOs that hail from across the energy saving and climate friendly investments.
bloc have also called for the country of origin of What is more, the European Commission
all oil products to be made clear and filling sta- should drop its proposal to label gas as “green” in
tions to ensure consumers do not inadvertently the European Sustainable Financing Taxonomy,
fund Putin’s regime. Before a complete embargo they said. This taxonomy serves as a guide for
is imposed, countries should also place a tariff investors to help them decide what investments
or levy on Russian fossil fuel supplies, they said. can be considered sustainable. Plans to expand
“Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine is dev- LNG imports must be axed, they said, and mem-
astating for the people of our country. Russian ber states should stop using food and feed crops
missiles and bombs are killing hundreds of for biofuels production, to ease risks of supply
Ukrainian defenders and civilians,” Heorhiy Ver- shortage created by the conflict.
emiychyk of the National Ecological Center of In addition to the National Ecological Center
Ukraine, said. “This will only get worse. We need of Ukraine, the signatories of the appeal include
urgent action to cripple the Putin regime’s abil- Transport & Environment (EU), Cittadini per
ity to fund the war. Russia continues to receive l’Aria (Italy), Legambiente (Italy), Réseau Action
payments from European governments that Climat (France), DUH (Germany), Zero (Por-
inadvertently fund Russia’s assault on Ukraine. tugal), Levego (Hungary), VCÖ (Austria),
That must end.” Green Transition Denmark (Denmark), FPPE
So far, sweeping EU sanctions against Rus- (Poland), 2Celsius (Romania), BRAL (Bel-
sia have not directly targeted oil and gas, and so gium), IEW (Belgium), Transform Scotland
hundreds of millions of euros continue to flow (UK), Aviation Environment Federation (UK),
to the Putin regime each day, the NGOs said, Milieudefensie (Netherlands), Campaign for
estimating the trade would come to €80-85bn in Better Transport (UK), Green Economy Insti-
2022 alone. An embargo on this trade will have tute (Poland), VšĮ “Žiedinė ekonomika (Poland),
an impact on energy prices, but Putin’s extraor- PKE (Polish Ecological Club) (Poland), WAS
dinary measures in Ukraine require an extraor- (Warsaw Smog Alert) (Poland), INSPRO (Insti-
dinary response, they said. tute for Public Affairs) (Poland), Eco Union
The NGOs also called for various measures (Spain) and DVI (Lithuania). ™

P12 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 10 10•March•2022