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Archives: Press Releases

Proposed gas projects for EU support would emit as much carbon as Germany’s coal fleet each year

Categories

Fossil Fuels

 

FOOD & WATER ACTION EUROPE, FRIENDS OF THE EARTH EUROPE, GLOBAL WITNESS

 

26 July 2021, Brussels – Three climate NGOs have filed a complaint with the European Ombudsman over the European Commission’s repeated failure to properly assess the climate impact of fossil gas projects seeking political and financial support from the EU. This means gas infrastructure projects with significant impacts on accelerating global warming stand to benefit from favoured treatment.

Food & Water Action Europe, Friends of the Earth Europe and Global Witness say that the Commission’s revised methodology for deciding which fossil gas pipelines and terminals will earn the status of “projects of common interest” (PCI) does not include a credible sustainability assessment. PCI status means a project is treated as high priority, enjoys fast-tracked planning and can receive significant public funding.

This updated methodology, published last month, means that even if a gas project fails the sustainability test, it will not automatically be removed from the PCI list. Moreover, the analysis does not take into account methane leakage from infrastructure but methane leakage from Europe’s fossil fuel infrastructure accounts for some 2% of the EU’s total annual greenhouse gas emissions. The methodology only considers carbon savings when compared to coal, which artificially inflates the alleged savings. The NGOs are also critical of a lack of transparency over project assessment (as previously noted by the Ombudsman), making it impossible to know how or why a project was approved.

Analysis by Global Witness has shown just how catastrophic it would be for the planet; additional emissions from proposed gas projects would total at least 213 million tonnes of carbon dioxide every year – equivalent to the emissions of Germany’s fleet of coal plants in 2018.

Frida Kieninger, Senior Campaigner with Food & Water Europe said: 

“With climate catastrophe knocking at Europe’s doors and flooding our towns, it is appalling that once again the Commission is ignoring science and proposing a farcical process overlooking the climate impacts of the fossil gas projects it will support.”

“This means dozens of climate-damaging, not to mention unnecessary, gas pipelines and terminals could receive favoured treatment from the EU. Instead of pumping more public cash into fossil fuels, the EU should be fighting to phase them out to protect our climate.”

The complaint comes after the EU Ombudsman already censured the EU Commission for a “suboptimal” sustainability process for assessing gas projects that failed to take into account climate risks. The Commission promised it would take several steps to improve its criteria for assessing PCI projects and the Ombudsman indicated that this should include both carbon dioxide and methane emissions.

The European Commission is expected to publish its final draft fifth list of PCI projects in November, which will then go to MEPs and EU governments for approval or rejection. A Global Witness analysis of the previous four PCI lists showed that at least €440 million of EU taxpayer money has been wasted on projects that either have or are likely to fail.

Notes to editor:

[1] Link to sustainability methodology: https://circabc.europa.eu/ui/group/3ba59f7e-2e01-46d0-9683-a72b39b6decf/library/8248eebd-2590-44b1-b1c8-01bcb01ea7af?p=1&n=10&sort=modified_DESC

[2] For all calculations, citations, and methodologies used to determine carbon emissions, see Global Witness, EU Proposed 5th PCI List – Possible CO2 Emissions, 25 June 2021, available at https://gwitness.org/5th_PCIList_Carbon_Emissions.

[3] European Ombudsman (10 February 2020). Decision in case 1991/2019/KR on the European Commission’s action concerning sustainability assessment for gas projects on the current List of Projects of Common Interest. Available at: https://www.ombudsman.europa.eu/en/decision/en/135095

[4] Global Witness (2021) EU companies burn fossil gas and taxpayer cash

Available at: https://www.globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/fossil-gas/eu-companies-burn-fossil-gas-and-taxpayer-cash/

[5] Methane leakage quantities and proportions https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/european-union-greenhouse-gas-inventory-2019

EU energy ministers decide to extend subsidies for fossil fuels in the revised energy infrastructure legislation stranding EU’s climate objectives and the European Green Deal

Categories

Fossil Fuels

Brussels, 11 June 2021 – Europe’s energy ministers have decided to extend subsidies for  fossil gas in today’s approval of the Energy Council’s position for the revision of the energy infrastructure legislation (TEN-E) – a move highly criticised by climate groups and which is not in line with  EU’s climate targets.

Despite its stated intent to stop funding fossil gas infrastructure, the Council’s TEN-E revision contains an extraordinary loophole. As climate organisations recently warned, this means that fossil gas pipelines could be retrofitted to transport an undefined mix of fossil gas and hydrogen, known as blending, over the next nine years Financial support from the EU however would stop in 2027.

While 11 countries spoke out clearly against new gas projects, the final compromise was that  pipelines and import terminals would carry a “blend” of these gasses. However, with no definition of what percentages of each gas could be transported and given the substantially higher costs of producing and transporting hydrogen, it is likely that fossil gas will continue to dominate new projects. Moreover there are no provisions for the blended hydrogen to be sourced from renewable hydrogen only.

“Today, energy ministers decided to perpetuate climate-damaging fossil gas use. The nine year transition period during which existing gas infrastructure can be upgraded to carry hydrogen blends is totally at odds with an already well oversupplied European gas grid and the recent IEA Net Zero Report which gave a red card to fossil gas infrastructure extension. Today politics have not contributed to bringing the  EU closer to the Paris Agreement goal  to limit temperature increase to 1.5°C,” said Esther Bollendorff, Senior Gas Policy Advisor at CAN Europe.

Furthermore, the Council’s proposal also includes support for a new generation of energy infrastructure, which at first glance looks promising: transporting hydrogen and making existing infrastructure “smart”. But a closer look reveals a disappointing truth. The proposal would allow for projects that support fossil fuel infrastructure and so-called “smart gas grids” under the auspices of “low carbon” gasses. An undefined term that in reality includes a plurality of gasses regardless of their climate impact. If such projects are allowed, it would seriously undermine the EU’s ability to meet its climate objective to accomplish at least 55% net emission reductions by 2030 and climate neutrality by 2050.

The Council’s TEN-E revision also undermines the EU’s efforts to fight the climate emergency by continuing to support two large fossil gas infrastructure projects. On one hand, the EastMed project, an unabashed, €6 billion effort to provide the EU with a new source of fossil gas Europe cannot use. If operating at full capacity – 20 billion cubic metres of gas per year – the pipeline’s gas would, when burned, emit as much carbon dioxide as Europe’s current worst polluter, the Bełchatów coal-fired power plant in Poland. On the other hand, the Melita pipeline would keep Malta hooked on gas, with the capacity of transporting an immense 2 billion cubic metres of gas per year to a country with a population of only 500,000.

“We are in a climate emergency. There is no room for new support for fossil gas infrastructure, without exception. It’s hard to see how either the EastMed and Melita pipelines fit into this crucial analysis It’s now down to MEPs to step in and bring a halt to more subsidies for fossil fuel projects – no exceptions, no loopholes,” said Frida Kieninger, Senior Campaigner at Food & Water Action Europe.

Lastly, fossil gas companies that profit from EU gas infrastructure policy and subsidies will continue to hold sway over key energy decisions. Despite some Member States concerns, under the Council’s proposal gas lobbyists – operating through the trade body ENTSOG – would have the power to forecast how much energy Europe needs and to assess and prioritise new infrastructure projects. Like suggestions made by the European Commission, the Council’s proposal continues to grant companies considerable influence rather than handing powers to an independent body which the climate NGO community have called for. Ultimately, the EU cannot wean itself from fossil fuels while this conflict of interest lies at the heart of its decisions on energy infrastructure policy.

“The Council is again letting the fox guard the henhouse siding with fossil gas companies by proposing that they continue to define Europe’s gas policies. If the EU is serious about meeting its climate targets it must remove this conflict of interest, and start listening to science over profiteers of the crisis,” said  Gligor Radečić, Gas Campaigner at Bankwatch.

The Council was badly divided in its decision, with multiple countries abstaining in protest, and “no” votes from Austria, Luxembourg, Germany and Spain, leaving the Council’s position weaker as the text now enters negotiations with the European Parliament. MEPs in the Energy Committee are due to vote on 15 July. The three-way negotiations, known as trilogues, between Commission, EU governments and MEPs could start immediately. Alternatively they may be delayed until after all MEPs have voted on the Parliament’s position in plenary, which is likely to take place in September.

—ENDS—

Grupos ecologistas muestran su oposición a un nuevo proyecto de biogás de Reganosa

Categories

Climate

●    Amigos de la Tierra y Food & Water Action Europe muestran su rechazo a la inclusión de un proyecto de biogás en la lista europea de Proyectos de Interés Común


●   La empresa Renagosa ya cuenta con proyectos controvertidos en Galicia con un gran impacto ambiental


●  El biogás provoca un grave problema de gestión de residuos y fomenta un modelo ganadero insostenible

Madrid, Bruselas, 1 de junio de 2021, Amigos de la Tierra y Food & Water Action Europe reclaman a las autoridades españolas y europeas que no incluyan un proyecto de biogás de la empresa Reganosa en la lista europea de Proyectos de Interés Común, lo cual daría a esta empresa acceso preferente a fondos públicos. Denuncian que el biogás supone un intento de lavado verde de la industria gasística y que sigue tratándose de un gas contaminante por mucho que se utilice el prefijo “bio”.

El objetivo de la empresa es generar biometano a partir de biogás producido con purines de ganadería industrial y residuos, para inyectarlo en la red de gas convencional. Un negocio que provocaría un grave problema de gestión de residuos y fomentaría un modelo ganadero insostenible.

Además, el coste del proyecto, que se estima en 75 millones de euros y se podría elevar hasta 235 millones(1), sería subvencionado por la ciudadanía europea a través de fondos públicos, cuando su apuesta por el biogás se trata de un atentado contra el medio ambiente y el interés común.

“La inyección de biogás en las redes de gas supone la permanencia de este combustible contaminante en la matriz energética retrasando la descarbonización y desplazando otros tipos de energía realmente renovables en la transición energética”, ha asegurado Cristina Alonso, responsable de Justicia Climática de Amigos de la Tierra.

“Este proyecto implicaría dar un gran paso atrás en la gestión de los residuos e ir contra la normativa europea en materia de economía circular, además de agravar la crisis climática”, ha señalado Adriana Espinosa, responsable de Residuos y Recursos Naturales de la organización ecologista.

“La creación de nuevas plantas de producción de biogás ligadas a explotaciones ganaderas industriales supone una estrategia de lavado verde de las grandes empresas cárnicas, como COREN y un apoyo con dinero público a la ganadería industrial que debería destinarse a otros fines”, ha añadido, Andrés Muñoz, responsable de Soberanía Alimentaria de Amigos de la Tierra. “La producción de biogás no elimina el principal problema de los purines, que es la contaminación por nitratos. Resolver esto implica una moratoria sobre nuevas explotaciones ganaderas industriales y la reducción de la cabaña ganadera industrial ya existente, especialmente en zonas como la comarca de La Limia en Galicia”, ha seguido explicando.

La aprobación de las anteriores listas europeas de Proyectos de Interés Común fue muy polémica, al abrir la puerta de los fondos europeos a proyectos basados en grandes infraestructuras y conexiones gasísticas. Justo durante estos meses el Parlamento Europeo está debatiendo la revisión de la normativa que regula la admisión de proyectos a las listas, por este motivo las organizaciones insisten en la necesidad de rechazar la inclusión de un proyecto alejado del interés general como el de Reganosa.

“La lista de Proyectos de Interés Común es una propuesta caduca, que sigue financiando proyectos energéticos insostenibles. El debate deja cada vez más claro que el gas fósil y el biogás no pueden jugar ningún papel relevante en el futuro energético de la Unión Europea”, ha aseverado, Frida Kieninger, de Food & Water Action Europe.

Reganosa ya hace gala, además, de un historial controvertido en Galicia, donde ya cuentan con una regasificadora en la Ría de Ferrol, la cual conlleva un gran impacto ambiental y genera una fuerte oposición social. “Reganosa no es compatible con el modelo de transición energética hacia el que debemos caminar y ni la regasificadora actual ni los nuevos proyectos que proponen serán aceptables desde el punto de vista ambiental y social”, ha concluido María Durán, portavoz de Amigas da Terra Galicia.

Notas:  

La presentación del proyecto se realizó el 22 de abril en el marco de las reuniones regionales organizadas por la Comisión Europea para presentar los proyectos candidatos para la lista. A partir del minuto 14:39:20.

Open Letter: Europe needs more farmers

Categories

Food

Brussels, 16 April 2021

Today, a joint letter to the European Commission, launched by European Coordination Via Campesina and signed by Food & Water Action Europe, together with farmers’ organisations, environmental organisations, NGOs, unions, and researchers, underlines the key role of small and medium-sized farmers in the resolution of current social, environmental, and food-related crises. It demands that EU policy in this pivotal moment must support and increase the number of small-scale farmers.

This letter marks the week of 17 April, International Day of Peasant Struggles. On this day, we commemorate the massacre of 21 landless peasants in 1996 in Eldorado dos Carajás, Brazil, while demonstrating in support of comprehensive agrarian reform.

You can see the full letter and list of signatories here. 

Fossil Fuel Lobbyists Set to Keep Firm Grip on EU Energy Development

Categories

Fossil Fuels

Gas industry lobbyists are expected to retain a stranglehold on Europe’s energy future, with a formal role in EU decisions on energy infrastructure development and funding, a new analysis of European Commission policy proposals reveals today.

The European Commission has proposed to keep an obscure body advocating for vested gas industry interests – the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Gas (ENTSO-G) – at the heart of EU decisions on funding and prioritisation of energy projects. The proposed reforms to laws governing EU energy infrastructure – the so-called Trans-European Energy Infrastructure (TEN-E) regulation – are set to be debated in the European Parliament this month as part of the European Green Deal.

Too much control to gas lobbyists

Friends of the Earth Europe and Food & Water Action Europe warn the reforms give too much control to fossil gas companies, while the Commission has ignored civil society and scientists’ concerns.

Myriam Douo, corporates campaigner for Friends of the Earth Europe said:

“The last people to take advice from in a climate crisis should be fossil fuel lobbyists. It’s unacceptable for the EU to outsource decisions on Europe’s energy future to gas lobbyists. Gas is a dangerous fossil fuel which must be phased out. The fossil fuel industry’s proximity to our politicians has allowed it to pocket over a billion euros in public subsidies while weakening climate action – this must stop.”

Conflict of interest

The analysis suggests some of Europe’s most powerful gas companies will be able to unduly influence the awarding of billions in EU taxpayer subsidies:

  • The previous TEN-E oversaw severe delays, abandoned projects, and the waste of €440 million of EU taxpayers’ money on gas projects which have been or are likely to be cancelled – thanks to questionable advice from ENTSO-G.
  • The gas transport industry was able to help direct €1 billion in EU taxpayer funds to gas projects by ENTSO-G members, such as the controversial EastMed pipeline, designed to link Israel and Cyprus to Greece, or the abandoned MidCat pipeline between France and Spain.
  • The European Commission has ignored the overwhelming views of the public (99.6%) opposing fossil gas in its public consultation.
  • The European Commission promises to stop subsidising fossil gas projects in the new TEN-E regulation, but nevertheless keeps a central role for the fossil gas industry in designing the system. The new regulation risks opening the door to gas through fossil-based hydrogen.

We need fossil free politics

The NGOs call on the EU to remove the priority seat that ENTSO-G currently enjoys, and replace it with an independent in-house body to advise on all decision-making processes on energy infrastructure; and to end the influence of fossil fuels on our politics.

Frida Kieninger, Senior Campaigner, Food & Water Action Europe said:

“Tasking gas infrastructure corporations to help the EU define our future energy system is an endeavour doomed to fail Europeans and the climate. We urgently need an independent expert body free from fossil fuel influence to advise the EU on priority energy infrastructure developments. It is now up to the European Parliament and the Council to correct the proposal and cut fossil fuel interests out of politics.”

—

How the gas lobby infiltrates EU decision making

La Coordinadora Stop Ganadería Industrial demanda al Gobierno de España una moratoria a la ganadería industrial

Categories

Fossil Fuels

¡Firma la petición!

  • La Coordinadora Estatal Stop Ganadería Industrial lanza hoy 22 de diciembre una recogida de firmas en apoyo de su petición de una moratoria a la ganadería industrial en España.
  • Se pide al Ministro de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación y a la Ministra para la Transición Ecológica y el Reto Demográfico que, en base a sus competencias, se suspenda la concesión de licencias de nueva creación y ampliación para explotaciones de ganadería intensiva ante su proliferación desmesurada y descontrolada en España.
  • Las explotaciones ganaderas intensivas generan graves riesgos para la salud pública, el medioambiente, el mundo rural y el bienestar animal, por lo que es urgente actuar.

 

Para la Coordinadora Estatal Stop Ganadería Industrial, que agrupa decenas de movimientos vecinales rurales de diversos lugares de España junto con organizaciones nacionales e internacionales, la desmesurada y descontrolada expansión de la ganadería intensiva en España en los últimos años, que ha encontrado una fuerte contestación social, requiere que la Administración del Estado tome medidas para regular este sector con una visión de conjunto.

“No se está evaluando la capacidad de cada territorio para acoger este tipo de actividades, que son más industriales que ganaderas, lo que está llevando a que muchos pueblos se queden sin agua potable”, asegura Inma Lozano, portavoz de la Coordinadora Estatal. “En el medio rural necesitamos empleo de calidad con actividades sostenibles que cuiden de un recurso imprescindible, y un derecho humano, como es el agua”, añade la portavoz.

La Coordinadora Estatal Stop Ganadería Industrial aboga por frenar este crecimiento descontrolado del sector y orientarlo hacia un modelo que responda a las necesidades de las personas consumidoras, los y las ganaderas, la población del medio rural, el medioambiente y la urgente lucha contra la crisis climática. Para ello recoge desde hoy firmas en https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/moratoria-ganaderia-industrial con el apoyo de Food & Water Action Europe, Amigos de la Tierra, Justicia Alimentaria, València Animal Save, Ecologistas en Acción y Compassion in World Farming.