Pipeline Bugbear
Fallacies of the European Energy Debate
Deutsche Fassung
Abstract
In the European energy debate, an allegedly dangerous dependency on imports from Russia is evoked with growing frequency. Sometimes, there is talk of a militarisation of energy policy, that is to say, a NATO for energy. But this threat scenario misses the mark. Russia is at least just as dependent on exports of fossil fuels as Europe is on their imports. The means of increasing energy security are also inadequate. All of the other providers and supply lines outside of Europe are more problematic than Russia. Therefore, instead of promoting alternative pipelines, the EU should promote alternative forms of energy. Alongside an increase in energy efficiency in the eastern EU member states and Russia, such a policy will contribute not only to securing supplies but to protecting the climate as well.
(Osteuropa 1/2009, pp. 3–18)