Archives: Blogs

Manifesto For The 2024 EU Elections

Categories

LNGJusticeFossil FuelsClimate

CHAMPIONING BOLD CLIMATE ACTION, SOCIAL JUSTICE & PHASE OUT FROM FOSSIL FUELS

Amidst the challenges the EU and the world are currently facing, the upcoming 2024 European elections mark a critical juncture. The past years have been marked by multiple and unprecedented crises from the global impact of COVID-19 pandemic, growing impacts of climate change, and conflicts in Ukraine and Palestine, among others. All these crises have triggered a ripple effect causing a profound impact on communities, especially the most vulnerable ones, with a surge in energy poverty and a deepening of social inequalities. The upcoming EU legislators must provide concrete, just and effective responses to these crises, especially in the face of mounting Euroscepticism and the resurgence of far-right parties.

In our manifesto, there are 7 key demands for the upcoming EU lawmakers, urging them not to invest in dirty Liquefied “Natural” Gas (LNG) and fossil gas projects, but to truly commit to a 100% clean and just energy transition, away from the interests of the fossil fuel industry.

Our full manifesto is available in English here.

 

LNG Threat Map

Check out the digital version of our LNG Threat Map!

Front side: European LNG terminals, build-out plans and threat categories

Back side: European (and a small selection of international) groups opposing the LNG build-out

Liquefied ‘Natural’ Gas (LNG) is fossil gas, cooled down to -162 degrees Celsius to turn it into a liquid. This reduces its volume by a factor of about 600, making it easier to load LNG on ships and transport it across the ocean. About 42% of the gas consumed in Europe in 2023 arrived in the form of LNG, the biggest part of it was fracked US LNG. Along the entire supply chain, LNG leads to high emissions, making it a hazardous climate threat that rivals even coal in its climate impact. On top of environmental damage, LNG has severe impacts on communities both in supply countries as well as many import countries.

Find here a non-exhaustive list of groups opposing the LNG build-out in Europe and beyond, including links to their websites.

Uniting Against Fossil Capitalism: Highlights from the People’s Summit in Vienna

Categories

JusticeFossil FuelsClimate

From March 22nd to 24th, activists and campaigners from across Europe and beyond converged in Vienna for the People’s Summit. This year’s gathering was marked by ad significant victory: The organizers of the notorious European Gas Conference, a meeting of the planet’s most egregious polluters, were forced to postpone their event indefinitely due to fears of activist actions and disruptions.

The People’s Summit brought together an inspiring group of activists, campaigners, and concerned citizens, all committed to tackling the existential threat posed by fossil gas. Food & Water Action Europe joined the summit and hosted a series of sessions. Over the course of three days, attendees engaged in a packed agenda, delving into critical topics such as the expansion of liquefied natural gas (LNG) infrastructure and the proliferation of fossil gas projects all over the world, or the promotion of false solutions such as carbon capture and storage (CCS) and hydrogen by the fossil fuel industry. Moreover, the conference shed light on the interconnected nature of the fight against fossil capitalism, emphasizing its connections to the rise of extreme right movements, (neo-)colonialism, social injustices, militarization, and the ongoing conflict in Palestine.

The summit also aimed to expose Europe’s complicity in the global proliferation of fossil fuel infrastructure. In a bid to fortify international solidarity, the conference welcomed delegations from the United States, Canada, and Africa. These frontline community voices brought to light the deep-seated injustices perpetuated by fossil capitalism, reminding us that behind the statistics and every additional percentage of fossil fuel imports lies a human story of suffering.. The participants from British Columbia, Texas and the Niger Delta provided a stark reminder that the struggle isn’t just a choice—it’s a question of life or death. Solidarity, as they demonstrated, goes beyond mere rhetoric—it is about amplifying marginalized voices, understanding their struggles, and coming together to get ready to fight back. 

Undoubtedly, the journey towards phasing out fossil fuels and dismantling the prevailing fossil system remains arduous.

Yet, as Chloe Torres from Texas Campaign for the Environment poignantly reminded us, “We lose only when we stop trying, we only lose when we stop being unapologetic in our demands for a world free of unnecessary suffering and that for me is the world that I want to work towards“. 

Chloe’s sentiments echo a fundamental truth: The path to a sustainable and just future lies in collective action. By building bridges and joining forces, we have the capacity to overcome the fossil system, prioritizing the well-being of people and the planet over profit: a future where clean water, air, and land are accessible to all.

2023 EU LNG Terminal Utilization Rates Were Below 60%

Categories

MethaneLNGFossil FuelsClimate

LNG moved to the spotlight in January 2024, with an important announcement by US President Joe Biden to halt all new permitting for US LNG export facilities. This ‘pause’ will give the government time to work on criteria for an assessment of this infrastructure concerning public interest, human rights and climate implications of these fossil fuel assets.

While this is a great step in the right direction, the halt is only temporary, and a host of other LNG expansion projects in the US which already have obtained permits can move ahead.

As usual, the fossil fuel industry was quick to cry ‘foul’ over the Biden administration’s plans. They claimed the announcement went too far and will create  energy security concerns. There are several arguments to refute this claim.

The most important point that big polluters want to sweep under the carpet is that fossil gas is on its way out. EU gas demand dropped by 12% compared to the 2019-21 average in 2022, and by 19% in 2023. Crucial climate and energy policies in Europe suggest a reduction of gas demand by up to 52% by 2030.

The gas demand drop needs to be made permanent and deepened further for Europe to have a chance to abide by its own climate targets and to respond to the deepening climate crisis.

Despite the drop in gas demand and the planned expansion of US export facilities, it is clear  the current import infrastructure in Europe is largely underutilized. Our analysis of data from the Aggregated LNG System Inventory (alsi.gie) suggests that in 2023, EU LNG terminals were used on average under 60% of their full capacity. 

Only four LNG terminals across the EU had average utilization over 80% (by terminals in Porto Levante – Italy, Swinoujscie – Poland, Rotterdam – The Netherlands and Krk – Croatia) in 2023, while ten terminals were used well under 60%, sometimes at only 19% (terminals in Barcelona – Spain/Catalonia and Lubmin – Germany).

The lowest country-wide LNG utilization rate can be observed in Greece and Finland (both 36% utilization rate) followed by Spain (42%). It needs to be noted that one terminal in Spain – El Musel LNG which started operations in 2023 – didn’t report any data despite having imported some shipments already. It was not included in the country’s average calculation.

In addition to the El Musel and Inkoo terminals , there are another six large scale LNG import terminals which came online since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Most of those are located in Germany (Brunsbüttel, Wilhelmshaven, Lubmin) with the country planning to build even more terminals, fueling significant protests. On top of that, average utilization in Germany stood at only 50%.

Additionally, in early February 2024, EU gas storage was still at a very high level and well above 60% on average. Energy experts suggest that even with a full cut of Russian gas and a cold winter, gas storage would still be filled at over 20% at the end of March when winter ends.

LNG infrastructure expansion on both sides of the Atlantic is not only a dangerous climate bomb – it is economically nonsensical, risking a situation in which consumers are burdened with costs for stranded assets of an unneeded oversized fossil gas grid.

Biden’s Administration Temporary Halt on New LNG Exports – An Important Step, yet the Fight Continues on Both Sides of the Atlantic

Categories

LNGFossil Fuels

“There is absolutely nothing natural about fracked gas, it is just a marketing term to make it seem like what I’m using here isn’t gonna impact me”,          Elida Castillo, Program Director Chispa Texas (Brussels, Oct. 12, 2023) 

In an important step for people and the planet, the Biden Administration announced last week its decision to temporarily pause pending decisions on exports of Liquified ‘Natural’ Gas (LNG). Biden’s gas export decision suspends projects like the construction of the Calcasieu Pass 2 (or CP2) in Louisiana, whose residents already experience the worst toxic pollution of any people across the U.S. 

CP2 is a $10 billion behemoth slated to become one of the largest LNG export terminals in the world. LNG facilities are a direct threat to public health in nearby communities, and drive demand for fracking, a destructive drilling technique tied to dramatic rise in climate-warming methane emissions. 

While Biden’s announcement marks a step forward, it does not impact LNG export projects that are already operating or permitted. The fossil fuel industry has already locked in massive infrastructure expansion: U.S. LNG exports have grown exponentially in the past years, and five LNG export projects currently under construction will double U.S. export capacity by 2027. This is why an immediate and permanent rejection of all proposed LNG exports and infrastructure is vital. It is imperative to send a strong message to the fossil fuel industry that this isn’t just a pause, but rather a firm commitment that there is no future in LNG and fossil gas.

 The fight will not be over until all LNG projects are definitively stopped. LNG expansion only serves the interests of the fossil fuel industry and shackles us to a deadly fossil-fueled future. Only a swift, just and participatory transition to 100% renewable energy gives us a chance to avoid climate catastrophe. As the EU elections approach, it is vital for the EU institutions to put the phase out of fossil fuels at the top of their agenda. This must be coupled with investments in energy efficiency and energy savings, while ensuring that no one is left behind.

As we applaud this win, we must recognize the tireless efforts of activists and frontline communities who have long been sounding the alarm on the devastating impacts of LNG and fracking. In solidarity with overseas fights, EU environmental organizations are supporting calls to stop new LNG investments on both sides of the Atlantic, which will risk creating stranded assets in the coming years. Especially following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, LNG expansion projects mushroomed in the EU, U.S. and elsewhere in the world. In 2022 the EU became the primary destination for the U.S. LNG shipments, and the bloc is still betting big on LNG to replace the millions of tonnes of fossil gas previously imported from Russia via pipeline. 

Photo stunt outside the U.S. Embassy in Brussels, January 29th

As highlighted in a letter sent by 60 MEPs from across the EU before the Biden Administration decision and reiterated in an joint NGOs open-letter, the expansion of LNG cannot be justified as a necessity for energy security, and Europe cannot be used as an excuse for LNG expansion in the U.S.

While the U.S. decision is indeed a reason to celebrate, it serves as a poignant reminder that the fight for a sustainable, just and oppression free future is far from over. It demonstrates that together we can kick fossil fuels out of our lives – in the EU, U.S., and around the world.

Civil society organizations in Europe ask Biden Administration to halt LNG facility build out

Categories

LNGJusticeFossil FuelsClimate

Today, Food & Water Action Europe, sent a message to US President Joe Biden and Secretary Jennifer Granholm together with over 40 civil society organization from across Europe.

We made clear that we oppose the build out of climate-wrecking US LNG export terminals which poison communities in the US and harm our environment and the planet.

You can find the letter here.