We cannot prevent Nord Stream 2 if we don’t massively reduce gas use – former env. min

The European Union should do more to reduce natural gas consumption, rather than focusing on finding new suppliers and preventing the construction of the Russian-German pipeline Nord Stream 2, Green Party member and former environment minister Jürgen Trittin told Süddeutsche Zeitung in an interview. “One could let Gazprom starve by cutting gas use in Europe through better insulated buildings and energy efficiency,” he said. Trittin described EU natural gas policy as “erratic” for trying to block Nord Stream 2 pipeline while supporting the southern corridor connecting Europe with Azerbaijan. “Good autocrat, bad autocrat – this game is unwise,” he told the paper.

Find the interview in German here.

For background, read the CLEW news digest item Nord Stream 2: green light for 55-kilometre section in German territorial waters, and the factsheet Germany’s dependence on imported fossil fuels.