From the Green Deal to REPower EU

What about the EU’s Southern fossil gas suppliers?

Policy Brief

23/02/2023

The EU’s external dimension of the green deal published at the start of 2021 focuses on a just green transition, calls for the phasing out of harmful fossil fuel subsidies and discourages further investments into fossil fuel-based energy infrastructure projects in third countries. However, since the invasion of Russia in Ukraine one year later, the European Union has been wrestling to find alternatives for Russian gas.

The attention of the Member States and the European Commission turned towards its fossil fuel exporters Algeria and Egypt, with energy diplomacy doing overtime. The focus of the EU has been on

1) agreeing middle to long term fossil gas contracts

2) importing green hydrogen

This shift towards middle to long term fossil gas contracts could have an impact at a crucial moment, with the COP27 in Egypt being a disappointment to many. The EU’s actorness, including in its neighbourhood, is vital to achieve its claimed climate leadership and convincing others to follow. Also the focus on green hydrogen could jeopardise the EU’s trustworthiness.

Focusing on the export of green hydrogen for its own needs before having fulfilled the renewable energy needs of its Southern Neighbourhood partners seems to repeat the mistakes the EU made during the 2000s. The EU had been accused by its Southern Neighbourhood of green colonialism when investing in renewable energy projects such as Desertec in its South for export to the EU. Instead the EU should focus on ‘no regret’ options such as investing in an enabling framework to fulfil its fossil fuel exporting partners needs of more energy efficiency and renewable energy, as well as technical assistance to tackle methane leaks and to address venting and flaring. This could liberate more fossil gas for export in the shorter term, prevent fossil fuel lock-in for its partners while being in line with its climate leadership role.

Network
Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung
UNU-CRIS
Related publications
07/02/2023

The path towards a socially just Fit for 55 package

How have social elements of the Fit for 55 Package evolved in the context of the climate, energy, and cost-of-living crises?
07/12/2022

The Russia-Ukraine war: An inflection point for sustainable energy transitions

21/11/2022

The EU and North Africa: Towards a just Twin Transition?

Find all related publications
Publications
29/02/2024

The European political community

Informality as a key to success
28/02/2024

Progressive ideas to make international trade successful for all

24/01/2024

Progressive Yearbook 2024

Looking back to look ahead
Find all related Progressive Post
Progressive Post
27/02/2024

European agriculture: it’s about farmers’ income, stupid!

22/02/2024

Ukrainian democracy vs. the Russian war: how to increase resilience

22/02/2024

European integration in wartime: the EU’s imperative to preserve and rejuvenate Ukraine’s democracy

Find all related events
Events
Past
20/03/2024
FEPS HQ (closed-door workshop)

Taxing billionaires for the EU to deliver on a wellbeing agenda

Workshop within the S&D Youth Event
22/03/2024
Brussels, Belgium

Towards a global pact for a better future for people and the planet

Navigating through the poly-crisis
04 - 06/03/2024
Abuja, Nigeria

The Africa we want and the United Nations we need

Africa Summit of the Future Dialogue
Find all related news
News
18/03/2024

FEPS President on Euronews talk-show ‘Brussels, my love?’

NATO extension, Portuguese elections, far-right and gender equality were the topics of the debate
04/03/2024

FEPS at the ‘Africa Summit of the Future Dialogue’ in Abuja, Nigeria

23/02/2024

FEPS mission to Brazil

24/01/2024

Spanish Minister Teresa Ribera awarded FEPS ‘Progressive Person of the Year’

Find all related in the media
In the media

FEPS President on Euronews talk-show ‘Brussels, my love?’

by Euronews 16/03/2024
FEPS President Maria João Rodrigues discusses NATO expansions and elections in Russia and Portugal on Euronews talk-show ‘Brussels, my love?‘

Ласло Андор: Европа трябва да създаде нов модел за икономически растеж

by dir.bg 14/03/2024
'Europe must create a new model for economic growth'. Interview by Laszlo Andor, FEPS Secretary General

Цената на прехода – зелен, дигитален и демографски

by BNT 13/03/2024
'The cost of transition - green, digital and demographic' BNT Interview with László Andor about the three major transformations the world is facing.

Teresa Ribera, premiada por su labor en política internacional

by El Plural 26/01/2024
Teresa Ribera has been recognized by FEPS with the 'Progressive Person of the Year' award during the launch of the 'Progressive Yearbook.' Article by El Plural