Susanna Kierkegaard
Dirty coal must not replace Russian gas
"Will burn everything we can to keep our people warm"
PUBLISHED: TODAY 16.00
Aftonbladet's leadership side is independently social democratic.
Coal-fired power plants in Germany.
Coal-fired power plants in Germany.
Photo: Pontus Lundahl / TT
LEADER
After a sunny midsummer weekend, cold winters feel further away than ever. But in Europe, politicians are already frowning on the coming temperatures.
The reason is the sudden shortage of Russian gas - it will be tough and expensive to heat the houses this winter. In Sweden, we are not dependent on Russian gas, but the problems in the rest of Europe also raise our electricity prices.
Desperate politicians
The Russian supplier Gazprom has significantly reduced the EU's gas supply and demanded payment in rubles. In Germany, deliveries have decreased by 40 percent, in Austria 50 percent, Italy 35 percent.
It looks the same throughout the EU. Governments are desperate.
- If the gas is turned off this winter, we will burn everything we can to keep our people warm and create electricity, said Vaclav Bartuška, energy security ambassador at the Czech Foreign Ministry.
Back to coal power
Since the beginning of the war, it has been clear that Europe must end its dependence on Russian energy. But what could have been a push in the direction of sustainable and renewable energy production, now risks becoming a step backwards.
When the gas runs out, European governments turn to coal power.
Coal combustion heats water whose steam drives steam turbines, which drive generators and thus create electricity. But combustion is harmful to the climate and must be phased out if we are to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement and stop global warming.
In 2020, coal power accounted for almost a third of the world's carbon dioxide emissions related to energy production. Combustion emits over 12 gigatons of carbon dioxide each year.
Will be a cold winter
Going back to the dirty energies is stupid for several reasons. In an attempt to deal with an ongoing security crisis, we are exacerbating another - global warming. In addition, the EU imports coal from Russia, previously for around 8 million euros per year. The EU is now preparing at least one import ban, which will take effect in mid-August.
Ordinary people are already affected by high Putin prices and inflation. Now they need to prepare for freezing this winter.
It does not help to be wise, but someone has to say it. Had Europe switched to renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power earlier, we would not have had to spend the midsummer weekend thinking about socks and wool blankets.
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