Robert Habeck warns that Germany is too dependent on gas from Russia. There is a risk of becoming a “play ball”.
Berlin – The Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection Robert Habeck* (Green*) has demanded Germany’s dependence on gas Russia* to reduce. The background to the statements made to the newspapers of the Funke media group on Saturday (02/05/2022) is the Ukraine conflict and rising energy costs. Habeck, who is also Vice Chancellor, also addressed the controversial gas pipeline Nord Stream 2*, which runs from Russia to Germany.
The geopolitical situation is forcing Germany to “diversify supply,” said Habeck, looking ahead to next winter. If Germany continues to be dependent on Russian gas to the current extent, there is a risk of becoming a “plaything”, according to the minister. Habeck justified his concern “that Russia will also use its gas supply against German interests” with the rising energy prices during the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
person | Robert Habeck |
date and place of birth | September 2nd, 1969, Lübeck (Germany) |
political position | Deputy Chancellor and Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection |
Political party | Alliance 90 / The Greens |
Natural gas in Germany: Habeck wants independence from Russia
According to AG Energiebalancen, to which Habeck’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection also refers, natural gas accounts for almost 13 percent of German energy (as of 2019). Other statistics come to a similar conclusion. Russia supplies more than half of the gas, according to BP’s World Energy Statistical Review.
As part of the EU taxonomy on gas and nuclear power* the energy source is to be used in Germany over the next few years as a bridging technology on the way to sustainable energy production.
Habeck criticizes Nord Stream 2: Increased dependency on Russia
With the commissioning of Nord Stream 2, the dependency on gas from Russia will increase, the Vice Chancellor told the newspapers of the Funke media group. The demands of many politicians, including from the United States to stop a commissioning of the pipeline*, but Habeck does not repeat.
Instead, he stuck to promoting other import opportunities. The government out SPD*, Greens and FDP* has no clear stance on the project, Habeck repeated the traffic light mantra that “any sanctions are conceivable” should Russia attack Ukraine. In addition to Russia, Germany purchases natural gas from Norway and the Netherlands.
Habeck also criticized the fact that the gas market was completely deregulated. “So far we have had no state influence. It can’t stay that way,” he said. The Vice Chancellor did not name any precise steps that would lead to independence from Russia as a gas importer. (vbu/af/dpa) *fr.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA.
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