Post Tags: Financialization of Nature

Growing Doubts Over Adequacy of €102 Million EU Public Money for Krk LNG Terminal After Lex LNG Adopted in Croatia’s Parliament Today

Brussels – Today, the Croatian Parliament agreed on a law facilitating a planned LNG terminal offshore the island of Krk. Parliamentarians voted in favor of the Law on Liquefied Natural Gas heavily criticized by local groups and NGOs. Environmental organizations warned that the law would speed up the construction of a project implemented against the will of local communities that poses a threat to local tourism and the environment and lacks economic sense.

The project is considered highest national priority and was recently re-confirmed as a Project of Common Interest (PCI) for the EU in the PCI list adopted in March. Thanks to its PCI status, the Krk terminal recently received a grant of €102million EU public money through the Connecting Europe Facility [1].

However, growing local opposition and a worrying lack of transparency cast a bad light on the benefits the terminal receives at the EU-level. Arguments opposing the planned terminal are getting louder and include crucial questions about the need for such infrastructure considering current and projected gas demand in Croatia, as well as about the climate implications of a lock-in into fossil gas imports – even more so in connection with possible imports of particularly climate-harmful fracked gas from the United States.

On 26 and 27 March, representatives of the EU Commission’s DG Energy conducted several visits and interviews with stakeholders connected to the Krk LNG terminal in Croatia. To date, no final report about the outcomes has been produced.

“A lot of EU-tax payers’ money has been invested in this terminal, and yet we have serious doubts over its economic sense and its democratic legitimacy. Local decision makers oppose this project, communities protest against it, and there is no market for a project of this size, yet still the EU Commission will provide over €100 million for its construction,” says Frida Kieninger, Campaign Officer at Food & Water Europe. “We want to see the conclusions of the EU Commission’s fact-finding mission and highly doubt that the provided CEF money is invested with appropriate diligence.”

Both an offshore terminal, as it is currently discussed, as well as an onshore LNG facility constitute costly fossil fuel infrastructure, threatening to weigh heavy on Croatians’ gas bills. LNG terminals can be operated for decades, locking us into fossil gas far beyond the moment by which we will have to manage a complete fossil fuel phase-out to avert the worst of the climate chaos ahead.

Contact: Frida Kieninger – Tel: +32 (0) 2893 1045, Mobile: +32 (0) 487 24 99 05

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[1] http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-17-280_en.htm

Over 100 US. & International Groups Tell Wolf: Shut Down Mariner East Pipeline

Sunoco’s Controversial Gas Liquids Pipeline
Poses Threats in US and UK


Philadelphia — Dozens of US and international organizations released a letter to Governor Tom Wolf encouraging him to bring a halt to Sunoco’s Mariner East 2 pipeline.

The groups point out that the pipeline puts residents on both sides of the Atlantic at risk: Communities in eastern Pennsylvania that will bear the burden associated with fracking, the communities along the pipeline route endangered by spills and explosions, and those living near the petrochemical facilities in Europe that will use the gas liquids carried by the pipeline.

“This effort links the local battles against Sunoco with the vibrant anti-fracking movement in Europe that is focusing on the environmentally disastrous record of Ineos, the petrochemical colossus that is seeking to benefit from fracking in the US and the UK,” said Food & Water Watch Executive Director Wenonah Hauter. “The dangers posed by this project are serious, and require immediate action from Governor Wolf, who is the only the person with the power to protect all of these communities.”

The massive Sunoco project has been plagued by drilling spills and water contamination, which eventually led the state’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to suspend construction permits. But weeks later, the Wolf administration settled with Sunoco, clearing the way for construction to resume.

Governor Wolf has long been an ardent supporter of Sunoco’s project, and pushed to expedite construction permits.

“Since the Wolf administration’s approval the Mariner East 2 pipeline one year ago, the call for him to stop it has grown to include organizations from across the United States, Scotland, England, and Europe,” said Karen Feridun, the founder of Berks Gas Truth. “These groups stand in solidarity with communities whose health, safety, private water supplies, quality of life, and property rights are threatened by bad actors like Sunoco/Energy Transfer Partners on this side of the Atlantic and Ineos in the UK and Europe. Governor Wolf can and must stop this pipeline right now and become the climate leader Pennsylvania needs. His choice will be his legacy.”

The letter, organized by Food & Water Watch, Food & Water Watch Europe and Berks Gas Truth was signed by US groups like Oil Change International, Progressive Democrats of America, Friends of the Earth, the Center for International Environmental Law and the Center for Biological Diversity. They are joined by organizations in Europe like Frack Free United (UK), Friends of the Earth EWNI (England, Wales and Northern Ireland), Talk Fracking (UK), Friends of the Earth Scotland, Frackwatch and Our Forth Against Unconventional Gas (Scotland), Not Here Not Anywhere (Ireland) and Ecologistas en Acción (Spain).

“From both sides of Scotland- East and West – we join our voices to those calling on Governor Wolf to protect his state and people from fracking and pipelines,” read a joint statement from Scottish groups Frackwatch Glasgow and Our Forth Against Unconventional Gas. “We feel fortunate that our government has banned fracking – but we feel sad that our country is destination for most of the gas piped through the dirty and dangerous Mariner East pipeline as it is finally transported via Dragon Class Ships, to travel up and down the Firth of OUR FORTH and pass perilously close to the capital city into the heart of Scotland.  Here, most of the gas will be used to make throwaway plastic to pollute our oceans and add to greenhouse gas emissions. We need some real changes, on both sides of the Atlantic, to move forward in a positive way! The fact is that leaders – real leaders – must now start planning for and working with communities for – a very different economic future.”

The letter closes with this message to Governor Wolf: “It is time to put a stop to this dangerous pipeline, and to move to a full ban on fracking. Your decision to do this will benefit our communities and our health, and it would protect residents of the state of Pennsylvania.”

Contacts:

US
Peter Hart, Food & Water Watch, [email protected], 732-839-0871
Karen Feridun, Berks Gas Truth, [email protected]

EU/UK
Andy Gheorghiu, Food & Water Europe, [email protected]
Penny Cole, Frackwatch Glasgow, [email protected]
Callum McLeod, Our Forth Against Unconventional Gas, [email protected]

Energy Committee Dismisses Effort of 18 MEPs to Stop Fossil-Fuel-Favoring Infrastructure Priority List

BRUSSELS — Today, the Energy Committee of the European Parliament rejected a motion for an objection to the third list of energy “projects of common interest” (PCIs) which was proposed to parliamentarians by the European Commission in November 2017. The PCI list is a priority list for infrastructure projects which benefit from advantages for permit granting and environmental impact assessments and which are eligible for CEF funding.

The objection, submitted by an initial number of 18 MEPs from 5 political groups (ALDE, EFDD, GUE, Greens and S&D), highlights the high proportion of fossil fuel infrastructure, notably gas projects, on this priority list. In today’s Committee votes, only 15 Members voted in favour of an objection, while 44 opposed it, with 2 abstentions.

“This list is the first PCI list that was drafted after the Paris Agreement came into force. Instead of aligning the list with international climate commitments, the European Commission proposed an amount of gas projects that remains as high as in the last years with. At the same time, the amount of electricity projects in the list is stagnating. This is unacceptable and incompatible with aiming at keeping global warming below 1.5 or even 2 degrees, says Frida Kieninger from Food & Water Europe.

In the objection, MEPs pointed out to the risks of investing into stranded assets since gas infrastructure constructed now is designed to last until 2060 or beyond. By then, commitments to phase out greenhouse gas emissions will have made most pipelines, compressor stations and LNG terminals irrelevant and unneeded. The PCI list, so the objection, will lock Europe into a new fossil fuel dependence if adopted in its current form and therefore it needs to be reviewed.

An objection is the only possible action for MEPs to show they are dissatisfied with the current form of the PCI list. The European Parliament and the Council can only reject the entire list, including gas and electricity projects, otherwise the list automatically enters into force since the Council already confirmed its support.

“Main aim of the objection is to align the PCI list with climate and energy targets and the Paris Agreement. It asks the Commission to draft a new list in favor of more electricity projects which are crucial to integrate renewable energy as well as other projects supporting a phase out of fossil fuels”, says Frida Kieninger. This list can’t remain serving corporate interests instead of public interest.”

This is the first time since the European Parliament is using its right of scrutiny on the PCI List. The European Commission will have to take it into account that the public will watch its every step when the next PCI List is drafted.

After today’s rejection of motion for an objection, there is still a possibility to submit the objection to the plenary. If at least 38 of the 751 Members of the European Parliament support the objection, it will likely be voted in mid-March.

 

Contact: Frida Kieninger, Food & Water Europe, Campaign Officer, Rue d’Edimbourg 26, Brussels 1050, Belgium, +32 487 24 99 05, fkieninger(at)fweurope.org

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Notes to the editor:

Motion for an Objection:

http://www.michele-rivasi.eu/assets/uploads/2018/01/PCI-Objection-20180131.pdf

Proposal for a 3rd PCI list:

https://ec.europa.eu/energy/sites/ener/files/documents/annex_to_pci_list_final_2017_en.pdf

European Parliament Votes on New Security of Gas Supply Regulation

Brussels, 12 September 2017 – Today, the European Parliament voted for a new regulation that provides a set of cross-border measures to deal with supply shortages, which includes the elimination of barriers for gas flow.

Food & Water Europe is disappointed that the final text of the regulation fails to see the bigger picture and does not contain a long-term view on how to tackle the problems around gas supply; specifically, it does not question the problems of Europe’s dependence on gas itself.

“The text barely mentions demand side measures crucial to reducing peak demand or energy efficiency measures capable of significantly reducing our gas use,” says Frida Kieninger, campaign officer at Food & Water Europe. “Considering the known impact of fossil fuels on climate change, it is crucial that investment in new fossil fuel infrastructure is limited as much as possible, if not completely ceased.”

With every 1% in gas demand reduction, the EU can decrease its import dependence by 2.6%. The European gas network is already prepared for a range of disruption scenarios, with only parts of South-Eastern Europe lacking supply security measures.

“Instead of focussing on new interconnections and expanding bi-directional capacity, the EU Parliament must open its eyes to real solutions and not implement a mere treatment of symptoms. Industry has been given a big role in assessing the needed measures to secure European gas supply, so it is not a big surprise that the construction of more gas infrastructure is seen as a main approach to enhance energy security. We clearly see an issue of conflict of interest here,” says Kieninger.

Europe does not need more pipelines, locking us into fossil gas with its devastating impact on the climate and the safety, health and environment of supply countries. All efforts need to be directed towards real, long-term solutions, including aggressive investment in distributed renewable energy generation and energy efficiency measures.

Contact:

Frida Kieninger, Food & Water Europe, Campaign Officer, Rue d’Edimbourg 26, Brussels 1050, Belgium, +32 487 24 99 05, fkieninger(at)fweurope.org

UK Court Injunction Won’t Stop Anti-Fracking Movement

Washington, D.C. and Brussels – On July 31, petrochemical giant Ineos Corporation won a High Court injunction intended to stifle protest against the company’s plans to frack sites in the UK.

In response, Food & Water Watch and Food & Water Europe Executive Director Wenonah Hauter issued the following statement:

“The public knows the dangers fracking poses to our clean air and water, and that’s why activists in England are taking bold action to protect their communities against these threats. Ineos would like to stifle this movement, and unfortunately this High Court injunction has given the company a potentially powerful tool to threaten those advocating for a healthy climate and a livable world. If Ineos thinks an interim court injunction will stop the movement to protect our water, climate and communities from fracking, they are in for a surprise.”

“The critical struggle to pull back from the climate precipice is too important to allow temporary setbacks like this court ruling to stop the anti-fracking movement. Fracked gas and all fossil fuels must be replaced with clean, renewable energy immediately if we’re going to secure a safe, livable future for coming generations.”

Petition rejected – EU Commission wants to let ExxonMobil get away with climate change denial

Brussels, 20 June 2017 — Despite the evidence of the ExxonMobil’s active role in the funding of climate change deniers which has deliberately prevented far more consequent and comprehensive political efforts against climate change, the EU Commission says it does not plan to take action.

The Commission’s statement is in response to a Food & Water Europe petition from July 2016, asking Members of the European Parliament to hold ExxonMobil accountable for its climate cover-up – which will be discussed in the Petition Committee of the EU tomorrow.

There is increasing evidence that in the 1980s, and maybe even much earlier, oil and gas giant ExxonMobil knew about the existence of climate change and the role of fossil fuels. And while carefully keeping the facts to themselves, ExxonMobil started a denial campaign covering up the certainty that climate change and fossil fuel extraction are closely linked. Its former CEO Rex Tillerson is Secretary of State in the Trump administration, which announced the withdrawal of the U.S. from the Paris Agreement on June 1.

To this day, ExxonMobil has not taken proper action and hasn’t suffered liability for its actions. Instead of acknowledging its wrongdoing, ExxonMobil continues to push for fracking projects in Europe that will cause even more methane emissions and increase global warming. Moreover, the company violates the precautionary and polluter pays principle (article 191 AEUV) and works deliberately against the fundamental rights of EU citizens (in particular article 35 of EU Charter of Fundamental Rights).

This statement from the Commission comes at a time when the same EU Commission – together with the Council of the EU – deeply regrets the unilateral decision by the United States Administration to withdraw from the Paris Agreement and reaffirms that the European Union and its Member States remain united and absolutely committed to full and swift implementation of the Paris Agreement.

“It’s disappointing to see that the EU Commission presents itself as a defender of the Paris Agreement while refusing to hold ExxonMobil accountable for its role in the crisis,” says Andy Gheorghiu of Food & Water Europe. “But we all know that the time for talk is over. What we need now is swift and concrete action to tackle the already visible impacts of global warming.”

Contact:

Andy Gheorghiu, Food & Water Europe, Fracking Policy Advisor, +49 5631 50 69 507 (land), +49 160 20 30 974 (mobile), agheorghiu(at)fweurope.org