If we want to become less dependent on Russian gas, as everyone is now calling, then we must be told honestly what that means, writes political reporter Hans van Soest in this comment.
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Municipalities and water boards want to stop purchasing gas from the Russian supplier Gazprom. It is still a symbolic action. Each supplier purchases the same gas on the European market. So if a water board switches to, for example, Eneco, they will still receive gas through that new supplier, which can also come from Russia.
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The situation describes in small detail what the problem is for the whole of the European Union. The EU is dependent on Russia for up to 40 percent of its gas needs. For years, people have been warned about the dangers of this, including by the United States. Now it appears how difficult it is to make a fist against Russia. The EU promised a maximum sanctions package. But the main source of income for the Putin regime, the sale of energy, is not yet daringly cut off by the EU. Although, according to Minister Jetten (Climate), European gas stocks are sufficiently filled, stopping Russian gas would mean that large-scale consumers such as industry would run into problems in the short term. That is a price we are not willing to pay. And if the conflict lasts for a long time, there is a danger that gas will eventually have to be rationed for civilians.
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After Georgia and Crimea, it is now Ukraine and no one can predict what else the Putin regime is prepared to do. If we really want to become less dependent on Russia, as everyone is now saying, we must be honest about what that means. There are hardly any alternatives to Russian gas in the short term. Norway is already pumping up to the maximum, liquefied gas from countries further away is difficult to get. The government now wants to speed up the energy transition. But because we will continue to need gas for decades to come, this would mean that the Groningen gas field must remain open, with all the associated consequences. After this year, the installations will only remain ready for ’emergencies’. Such an emergency can come sooner than expected, it now appears. Just as we in Europe cannot avoid keeping the coal and nuclear power stations open longer. If we don’t dare to talk about all that, it’s just a matter of being morally indignant at Putin.
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