Not only Latvian residents look forward to the onset of winter. The sharp drop in supplies from Russia, which previously provided around 40% of the gas needed by the European Union, has forced governments to seek alternative energy sources. Russia blames Western sanctions imposed on Moscow for the invasion of Ukraine. But European politicians believe Moscow is using energy as a weapon.
European cities have already implemented measures to save energy. For example, in Paris, the lights of the Eiffel Tower go out an hour earlier. But already in the summer Budapest introduced restrictions aimed at the economy: the premises of public institutions could only be cooled down to a threshold of 25 degrees. However, preparing for winter is more difficult. In winter, the premises of state institutions will be able to heat only up to 18 degrees.
The Deputy Mayor of Budapest, Kata Tutto, said: “We see that prices have not increased by 20 or 30 percent, but for municipalities they have increased by eight or even 13 times.”
Hungary still has a contract with Gazprom, from which it continues to buy gas. The Deputy Mayor of Budapest said that even buying gas from Russia, its price for local governments has increased more than eight times.
“Many cities are considering lowering street lamps, turning off street lamps at night. Consider reducing public transport and extending the winter break for daycare. These considerations and decisions will affect men and women differently. When. When I think of dark streets and nights in small and medium-sized spaces everywhere, the perception of security is so different for us women. That’s why I say it’s not an energy issue, it’s a security issue “, observed Tutto.
The priorities in preparing for winter are different not only at the European level, but also between the regions of the same country. Two different regions of Spain have completely different approaches to this problem. The representative of the government of the Balearic Islands of Spain said that the situation in the islands is particularly difficult. This is because they depend on the energy supplies of the European continent.
Antonio Vicens Vicens, Director General for Foreign Affairs of the Government of the Balearic Islands, explained: “When it comes to the energy situation, it is true that in the case of the islands it is a little different. The supply interruptions we have on the continent mean that we are more vulnerable to energy shortages and various crises. This is why we are ready. This is why we are trying to accelerate the transition to renewable energy in the islands. “
Elsewhere in Spain we look at nuclear power. Spain currently has seven active nuclear reactors. Each year they supply over 20% of the electricity consumed in the country.
Juan García Gallardo, vice president of the regional government of Castile and León, said: “In our region we want to recover nuclear power because we have concluded that without nuclear power we do not have good prices for energy, both for industry and for families. . And in this field we want to recover common sense “.
Countries would certainly want more support from the European Union. However, no funds can be expected from the Cohesion Funds to overcome the energy crisis. This is what the president of the European Committee of the Regions, Vasco Alves Cordeiro, says. According to him, the cohesion policy system should focus on long-term investment policy. Therefore, no short-term support is foreseen.
“We can all understand why, during the pandemic or in Ukraine, money was used to solve these emergencies. But I think it is necessary to understand that we cannot and must not make the emergency the new normal. And this is every time we have an emergency, – you go to the Cohesion Funds, you take the money to solve it, “Cordeiro noted.
Although this is just a taste of some European regions’ winter preparation plans, the whole of Europe is eagerly awaiting the onset of severe frosts.
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