Contentious Energy Partnership
FDP criticizes Habeck’s Qatar soundings
03/24/2022, 09:37 am
The FDP has sharply criticized Robert Habeck’s plans to procure gas from the Gulf state of Qatar. There is a risk of renewed dependence on an authoritarian state, warns the designated FDP Secretary General Djir-Sarai. Instead, Habeck should better rethink the exit from coal.
The designated FDP General Secretary Bijan Djir-Sarai has clearly criticized the Green Economics Minister Robert Habeck for attempts to procure gas from the Arab Emirate of Qatar. It would be better for Habeck to give up bans on phasing out coal and promote renewable energies, said Djir-Sarai. It is about ending the energy dependency on Russia as soon as possible after the war of aggression against Ukraine.
“Nice pictures from Qatar don’t solve a single problem. These countries don’t have the capacities that we need,” warned Djir-Sarai. “Energy partnerships with authoritarian states from the Middle East also create new risky dependencies. They are also problematic in terms of compliance with human rights and environmental standards.”
The German energy transition was “an enormous challenge” even before Corona and before the war in Ukraine, said Djir-Sarai. He still thinks they are right. “But some parameters have changed dramatically, and we have to answer open questions with a view to the country’s energy security,” he said, naming the planned phase-out of lignite as an example. “The coalition agreement states that ideally we want to phase out lignite by 2030. I expect the Economics Minister to seriously examine this option and also provide answers,” said Djir-Sarai.
Russia’s war against Ukraine is not only changing foreign and security policy, but also economic, energy and agricultural policy. “We will have to question many approaches and plans,” said Djir-Sarai. “Affordable energy will be a major challenge for companies and for private households.”