Response to the Accelerate EU announcement

In response to the Accelerate EU Communication, Myriam Douo, Senior Campaigner at Oil Change International, said:

“U.S. and Israeli military attacks have devastated communities across Iran and Lebanon, and the risk of further escalation continues to threaten millions with displacement and poverty. In Europe, energy costs are skyrocketing, affecting the most vulnerable in our society.

“On the eve of the First Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels in Santa Marta, the European Commission acknowledges the need to confront the EU’s dependency on fossil fuels head on and build a resilient energy system. But it falls short of the action required.

“None of the measures announced address the ongoing efforts to increase fossil fuel imports, especially LNG from the US. Reducing gas demand will mean nothing if it’s not accompanied by concrete measures to actually end the EU’s fossil fuel dependency.

“That means the EU must reverse course. It should scrap the EU–U.S. trade deal recently approved by the European Parliament, phase out gas and LNG imports—especially long-term contracts that lock in fossil fuel use for decades—and halt new fossil fuel infrastructure. Instead, governments must redirect public resources toward energy efficiency and affordable, locally produced renewable energy.”