What’s Happening
A Russian natural gas pipeline to Germany is now 95% complete. The project is a joint venture between Gazprom, the Russian state-owned oil company, and several German firms. The German government has advocated for the project for years. Despite concerns over the risk of strengthening Russia’s grip on Europe’s energy supply, as well as the environmental impact of dirty Russian natural gas, the Biden Administration has failed to halt the project by imposing sanctions. In a March letter, Republicans on the House Foreign Affairs Committee expressed their concern that the Biden Administration was avoiding “the full implementation of mandatory Congressional sanctions as required by law.” This week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, “as a practical matter, the physical completion of the pipeline was, I think, a fait accompli.”
Why It Matters
Natural gas supplies the European Union with nearly a quarter of its energy, 41% of which comes from Russia. The life cycle greenhouse gas emissions from Russian natural gas exports to Europe are significantly higher than U.S. LNG. The completion of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline will increase Europe’s reliance on dirty Russian natural gas, impacting the EU’s ability to reach its ambitious climate change goals.
My Take
Nord Stream 2 is an environmental and geopolitical disaster. Rather than increase imports of cleaner American natural gas, Germany has opted to tighten Vladimir Putin’s chokehold on the European Union’s energy supply. This decision will increase greenhouse gas emissions and grow Russia’s leverage over key western allies, including Poland and Ukraine.
President Biden’s decision to waive U.S. sanctions on Russia, which could have potentially slowed the project, is a mistake. While repairing relations with Germany is important, the completion of the Nord Stream 2 is a clear threat to the environment, undermines NATO, and runs counter to the United States’ interests in Europe. The Biden Administration should have taken a stronger stand against the project.
Quote Me on It
“The completion of Nord Stream 2 means more Euros in Putin’s pocket and more greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere. President Biden had the chance to defend America’s allies and the environment. He chose not to.” – VP of Government Affairs Quill Robinson