Gas shortage as a social issue
Baerbock: Energy will be distributed fairly
07/11/2022, 09:58 am
The gas shortage in the wake of the Ukraine war fueled concerns that energy could soon no longer be affordable for everyone. But Foreign Minister Baerbock reassured: The federal government will ensure that the supply is fair.
According to Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, the federal government will do everything possible to prevent a split in society if there is a shortage of Russian gas supplies. “If we have less energy, if we have less heat supply, then we will ensure that things will be fair,” said the Green politician after meeting her Japanese counterpart Yoshimasa Hayashi in Tokyo.
She again rejected demands from the Union and the FDP for a longer term for the remaining three German nuclear power plants. Baerbock said: “We are trying our best to prepare everything so that, with a view to winter, the question of warmth does not lead to a division in society.” This is exactly the goal of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s hybrid warfare. The federal government will not allow the energy supply to become a social issue.
The gradual shutdown of the last most important connection for Russian natural gas to Germany began in the morning. The gas flow through the Nord Stream 1 Baltic Sea pipeline has been shut down since 6 a.m. for the maintenance work that has been announced for a long time, said a spokesman for Nord Stream AG. The concern is that Russia will not turn on the gas tap once the work is complete.
No race for energy
Against the background of the discussion about the delivery of LNG liquid gas as a replacement for Russian gas supplies, Baerbock emphasized that there would be no international race for energy according to the motto: “He who is strongest and has the most money can buy everything .” That is why the European Union has coordinated with a view to further gas purchases. This also applies to the G7 group of leading democratic industrial powers.
With a view to Japan’s gas dependency on Russia, which is smaller than that of Germany, Baerbock said: “I will not allow us to compete now for what is most important – namely alternative options.” Hayashi said: “We currently have no plans to supply LNG to Germany. But we will also cooperate closely on this issue within the G7.”