‘Innovation key to ditching Russian energy’

Politicians warned against short-term thinking amid EU green energy drive

The EU must push research and innovation if it is to successfully transition away from fossil fuels to combat climate change and reduce its dependence on Russia in light of the country’s actions in Ukraine, say energy experts.

Nearly half of all EU gas comes from Russia. On 8 March, the European Commission said the EU had already planned to reduce its gas consumption by 30 per cent by 2030, but it proposed new measures to cut about half as much again to “make Europe independent from Russian fossil fuels well before 2030…in light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine”.