Europeans urged to work from home and drive less amid crisis over war with Iran
Kyiv • UNN
The European Commission has urged citizens to work from home and travel less due to energy shortages. The EU is preparing for prolonged turmoil in the Persian Gulf.
EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen stated that the oil crisis caused by the war with Iran will lead to prolonged turmoil, in a speech reminiscent of the COVID-19 pandemic situation, UNN reports with reference to Politico.
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The European Commission has urged people to work from home, drive and fly less, and called on EU countries to urgently implement renewable energy sources, warning of a protracted energy crisis as a result of the conflict in the Persian Gulf.
In a speech echoing the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, European Commissioner Dan Jørgensen said that Europe was facing a "very serious situation" with no end in sight.
"Even if... peace comes tomorrow, we will still not return to normal life in the near future," he said after an extraordinary meeting of 27 EU energy ministers on Tuesday to discuss the crisis.
"The more you can do to save oil, especially diesel, especially aviation fuel, the better for us," Jørgensen said, confirming the publication's earlier report that Brussels wants Europeans to travel less.
He urged member states to follow the advice of the International Energy Agency, which he said includes "working from home where possible, reducing highway speed limits by ten kilometers [per hour], encouraging public transport, alternating the use of private cars... expanding carpooling and implementing efficient driving methods."
In the long term, he called on EU countries to redouble their efforts to develop renewable energy sources, stating that "this must be the time when we finally turn the tide and truly become energy independent."
Tuesday's talks between ministers concluded without concrete proposals, although Jørgensen promised that the European Commission would soon announce a package of EU-level measures.
His comments come amid growing fears that the world will face a major energy crisis that will surpass even the 1970s oil shock and could have global economic consequences comparable to the coronavirus pandemic.
Since the first US and Israeli attacks on Iran more than a month ago, oil and gas prices have risen by as much as 70%, amid a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas supplies being stuck in the Persian Gulf.
According to one participant, the talks discussed the need for state aid, increased use of renewable energy sources and nuclear energy to enhance energy security, as well as support for the European Commission's proposal to develop biofuels.
The talks included discussions on the need for state aid, increased renewable energy and nuclear power to enhance energy security, and support for the Commission's proposal to boost biofuels, said one person involved in the talks, who spoke about the closed-door discussions on condition of anonymity.
According to two other EU diplomats, expectations for concrete action before the meeting were low. The goal, they said, was coordination.