The actions – designed to help Ukraine by reducing Europe's dependence on Russian fuel and reducing greenhouse gas emissions – were presented and discussed by the IEA's Executive Director, Fatih Birol, and the European Commission's Director General for Energy, Ditte Juul Jørgensen, in a virtual panel discussion livestreamed today with a host of government and civil society figures.
People all over Europe have been helping Ukraine by donating or helping refugees directly, and many would like to do more. Most households are also experiencing higher energy bills due to the energy crisis exacerbated by the war. Using less energy is not only an immediate way for Europeans to reduce their bills, it also supports Ukraine by reducing the need for Russian oil and gas, thus helping to reduce the sources of income financing the invasion .
The plan's actions build on the IEA's recent 10 -point plan to reduce the European Union's dependence on Russian natural gas and the 10-point plan to reduce the use petroleum . The Latest Plan – Playing My Part: How to Save Money, Reduce Dependence on Russian Energy, Support Ukraine and Help the Planet – shows how local and national governments can work with citizens to unlock even more savings. By following all of the plan's recommendations, the typical EU household could save, on average, almost €500 per year, although amounts vary depending on household size, location and access to transport. public, for example. If all EU citizens followed the recommendations at home and at work, it would save 220 million barrels of oil per year and around 17 billion cubic meters of natural gas.
“In the face of the horrific scenes of human suffering we saw after Russia invaded Ukraine, Europeans want to act,” said Dr Birol, Executive Director of the IEA. “Using less energy is a concrete way to help the people of Ukraine – and to help ourselves. This guide contains easy-to-follow steps that, with little or no discomfort on our part, can reduce the flow of money to the Russian military and help put us on the path to a cleaner, healthier planet. sustainable.
“Energy efficiency has the potential to be the single most important policy initiative to reduce our dependence on Russian imports and respond to today's energy market challenges, both by saving short-term energy and longer-term energy efficiency measures," said Juul Jørgensen, European Commission's Director General for Energy. “Energy efficiency is an area where everyone can make a difference. It also has the potential to provide individual consumers with significant savings in times of high wholesale energy prices. »
Recommended steps include turning down the heat and using less air conditioning, working from home when possible to avoid commuting, and carpooling or traveling by public transport when available. Employers have a role to play in encouraging telecommuting and train travel instead of short-haul flights. Governments can play a role by providing financial incentives by reducing fares for trains, buses and micro-mobility and by supporting the installation of solar panels, improved home insulation and the transition to d other heating fuels.
According to the plan results, lowering the thermostat by just 1°C would save about 7% of the energy used for heating, while setting an air conditioner 1°C warmer could reduce the amount of electricity used up to 10%. With an average one-way car journey of 15 kilometers in the EU, working from home three days a week could reduce household fuel bills by around 35 euros per month, even after taking into account the increase in energy consumption at home. And since the average car in the EU travels around 13,000 kilometers per year, reducing motorway cruising speeds by 10 kilometers per hour could reduce fuel bills by around €60 per year on average.
In addition to Mr. Birol and Ms. Jørgensen, the round table also included Leonore Gewessler , Austrian Federal Minister for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, innovation and technology; Eamon Ryan , Irish Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications; Claude Turmes , Luxembourg Minister for Energy and Spatial Planning; Patrick Graichen , State Secretary of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action; Sharan Burrow , General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation; Monique Goyens , Director General of BEUC, the European consumer organisation; and Mark Watts , Managing Director of C40 Cities.
Ministers and other personalities discuss new guide from IEA and European Commission to cut energy bills, reduce Russian fossil fuel revenues, help Ukraine and support climate action
This report has been produced in collaboration with the European Commission, to raise awareness among European citizens of the benefits of saving energy and the importance of placing energy efficiency at the heart of planning and investment.
Sources
- IEA (International Energy Agency)
Posted on 2022-04-21 17:31
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