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The Climate Question: What does war in Ukraine mean for the climate? Part 1: Russian gas

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28/03/2022 GMT

What does war in Ukraine mean for the climate? Part 1: Russian gas

BBC World Service - The Climate Question, What does war in Ukraine mean for the climate? Part 1: Russian gas

Can European countries turn away from Russian gas in the near term?

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has cast a harsh light on Europe’s dependency on piped Russian natural gas. Can they turn away from Russian gas in the near term?

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has been met with harsh financial sanctions. These have come from North America and Europe. The US and Canada have also banned Russian oil and gas, but Europe has found itself unable to do so - even as natural gas prices soar. The EU receives 40% of its natural gas from Russia, and for many countries, if they turn it off, the lights will go out and they’ll be unable to keep themselves warm. As a result European money continues to pay Russia for its natural gas resources. 

This episode looks at the short term plans for European countries, dependent on Russian gas, to remove it from their energy systems and ask if this could be the perfect moment to turn away from fossil fuels, including natural gas, and turn toward a much improved renewable energy network?

Presenters Jordan Dunbar and Kate Lamble are joined by: 

Victoria Gill, BBC Science and Climate Correspondent 
Simone Tagliapietra, Senior Fellow specialising in European Union climate and energy policy at think tank, Bruegel 
Bernice Lee, is Hoffmann Distinguished Fellow for sustainability, Chatham House

Team: 
Producer: Dearbhail Starr 
Reporter: Alessia Cerantola
Researcher: Natasha Fernandes & Frances Read
Series Producer: Alex Lewis 
Editor: Nicola Addyman 
Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell

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What does war in Ukraine mean for the climate? Part 1: Russian gas

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