AMAC Exclusive – By Andrew Abbott
Amid a severe supply crunch as a result of the ongoing war in Ukraine, Western European nations have been left desperately scrambling to find new sources of energy to keep the lights on. Many are now turning to Africa to increase fossil fuel production – a startling reversal after Europe’s governments and investment banks have for years worked to block investment in and development of Africa’s energy resources.
Over the last 20 years, The European Union’s (EU) energy policy has been to invest heavily in renewable technology and import fossil fuels until such time that they become obsolete. But, as former President Trump repeatedly warned during his tenure, that plan of action left Europe dangerously reliant on foreign suppliers of fossil fuels – namely, Russia.
That warning proved prescient earlier this year with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Though many Western nations were quick to implement boycotts of Russian goods and products, countries like Germany simply could not cut off Russian supplies of natural gas without risking widespread blackouts. However, amid growing tensions with the West – and Chinese promises to purchase more Russian supplies – Russia cut off most natural gas shipments to Europe, sending the continent into an energy crisis that is threatening to spiral out of control.
As a result, many businesses have closed entirely due to being literally unable to keep the lights on. In some parts of Europe, energy costs have more than tripled in just a few months. In a desperate attempt to combat rising prices and conserve dwindling supplies, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen earlier this month proposed a series of extreme and controversial energy cutting measures to “flatten the curve” of “astronomical” energy prices across Europe – including the mandatory reduction of energy supplies to consumers.
Additionally, nations like Germany are re-opening their few remaining coal power plants. Earlier this month, the French government announced that it would be reopening all of its nuclear power plants after initially planning mass closures. Other nations are also in full-scale retreat on their “green” policies, apparently finally recognizing the reality that renewable energy is nowhere close to being able to replace fossil fuels.
But even if these measures work in the short term (and most experts predict they won’t) Europe still needs to find new sources of energy to replace those lost from Russia.
Many European leaders are hoping the answer to that problem lies in Africa. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, for example, has initiated talks with Senegal to export the country’s offshore natural gas resources to Germany. Shipments are expected to begin in 2024. In April, EU diplomats began talks with Nigerian officials about developing additional natural gas fields there. French President Emmanuel Macron is similarly looking to forge a deal with Algeria.
These new developments represent a stark reversal of Europe’s prior treatment of fossil fuels investment in Africa. With the assistance of wealthy benefactors and activist organizations, European governments have spent decades pressuring international financing organizations, like the World Bank, to stop funding all new fossil fuels projects. While most developed nations have the resources to skirt these restrictions, developing African countries do not. Special interest groups, with the support of left-wing billionaire benefactors, have also aggressively pressured developing African nations to not invest in fossil fuels.
Instead, Europe has pushed a strategy of “energy leapfrogging” on Africa, insisting that developing nations can skip fossil fuels and go right to renewables to supply their energy needs. Because of these regulations and restrictions, African companies and leaders have for decades been unable access the capital necessary to refine and develop their domestic energy resources.
Unsurprisingly – especially given that Europe has failed to completely switch to renewables even with exponentially more capital and better infrastructure – African nations routinely struggle with blackouts and energy loss, common with energy sources like wind and solar. Nigeria, for example, has some of the largest oil reserves in all of Africa, yet almost half of the country lives without grid electricity – in no small part because woke Western banks will no longer invest in fossil fuels. Nigeria also has been prohibited from tapping into its vast gas reserves, further dooming the country to a state of perpetual poverty.
The West’s ideological commitment to “green energy” at any cost is a major reason why Africa’s economic growth and development has been stymied for so long. But now that European leaders are forced to face the same consequences of their policies, they are rapidly changing their tune when it comes to the development of fossil fuels in Africa.
For the rest of the world – including the United States – Europe’s turn to fossil fuels should make clear the failures of left-wing energy policy and the dangers of climate change alarmism. Though renewable energy may one day be the future of energy production, recklessly abandoning traditional sources of fossil fuel energy before renewables are clearly capable of replacing them is a sure path to destruction.
Andrew Abbott is the pen name of a writer and public affairs consultant with over a decade of experience in DC at the intersection of politics and culture.
The last paragraph of the article sums up Europe’s energy situation. Europe’s elite, of course, are not being affected as much as the common man and the elite have been suppressing energy development in Africa for years. Despite the detriment the Europe’s socialist agenda, the USA continues toward the same reckless socialist agenda and it not far behind where the elite’s agenda will destroy this nation.
You got to admit it is funny…
When the elitists politicians get to make all the decisions without knowing the results down the road, the little people pay the price.
Great ! ! ! Noiw Biden can sell millions of gallons of fuel wemdont have. Bring Bavck Trump.
Its on YOU EU
Ge those Nukes On line
I meant GET the Nukes Online
The woke Europeans have stupidly refused to work with African countries in tapping into the massive reserves of oil that are located in Africa. Instead of encouraging the African countries to become richer, cleaner, and healthier, the green energy European dreamers have neglected to form a win-win relationship between Europe and Africa. Many hundreds of thousands of Africans could have been saved from poverty, suffering, and death — if only those in power had used a little bit of common sense and business shrewdness. The horrible war in the Ukraine has made it perfectly clear, that the Europeans have been their own political and economic worst enemies.
While the EU and America may have had good intentions, there was a lack of research into the volume and cost involved. People like the idea of declaring emergency and forcing change without any honest look at how much is required and whether the sources they favor can produce it. The problem is the cost and viability are becoming observable.
The European countries poured billions inot Africa and helpe develope roads, goverment, a health care system, transportation. Then all these wonderful natives decided they like communism and dictators better and stole all these investments and sent this continent back 200 years. This is why no country wants to invest in Africa. It is a dead end.
Do you think those smug euro-buffoons are still laughing at Trump?! He who laughs last...
The scum that rule our lives will never acknowledge setbacks, let alone defeat of their ideas. They will need to be removed, like a wart or a tumour. Unfortunately, low information folk will need to shiver and cough thruout this winter before they’re ready for curative measures. Only then will they join farage and trump in the understanding of what the left has in mind for everyone.
That over destruction of Libya, how’d that end up?
When they decide that Joe Biden’s United States is the worst ally ever WE will have a problem. I can’t think of a better way than Biden’s energy policy to drive Europe into Putin’s clutches. Or to burning soft coal.
The Europeans are reactivating their coal energy plants, and extending their nuclear power plant usage? On top of that they are looking to Africa to purchase more oil and natural gas? There ought to be a law against such polluting of the climate! I think that the climate change activists should hold rallies to pressure the European political parties into presenting more responsible green oriented policies.
I mean to say, that foraging the forests to find wood to burn in preparation of the cold weather arrival is just barbaric! Everyone knows that that such burning just adds particulates to the air that we breath, beside creating excessive CO2 emissions.
Europeans should learn to live in one room of their houses so that the rest of the home’s spaces don’t have to be heated. And they should also buy Chinese solar cell panels for all of their energy needs. The extra battery banks, and DC to AC converters might be expensive but they will feel better about saving the planet from rising sea levels. And walking, instead of driving to work provides needed exercise for good health.
Perhaps Greta the teenage screecher, needs to be contracted to to vent her views about Global Warming again. Imagine her audience sitting in snow banks listening to her silly ideas about saving the planet. Doesn’t that image just warm your socially conscious soul?
If I was Nigerian, I would tell Europe to go pound sand.
One kind of pollution that needs to be limited is left wing bull manure…their policies always create at least one more problem, and don’t solve what they’re aimed for…
Tough s—t. Angela Merkel created this dimwitted Russia oil deal while President Trump was trying to tell her that we ( the US) would do it for her. Now the Krauts are having to beg Africa for oil.
Why ? Because they know that JB is anti petro and will say ” Can’t you get solar and wind energy ?” Should’a, could’a. would’a Merkle has no idea of history. She can’t recall that in the 1940’s
Stalin would have killed every German on earth for good reason. Don’t tell me that was another time. WWII is still today. Don’t forget it.
Lets hope that Biden will screw up only once tomorrow rather than twice.
The left believes its more important to be morally correct than to be free of oppression.
When Chicom soldiers press their boots on our necks, the lefties can always say ” we were
always morally correct “. Oh. by the way. Who gets to define morality ? The left will
quickly stand up to say ” we do”.
Now is the time for African nations with the wherewithal to step out of the ties of 1st world influence and develop their infastructure.
Most Americans cannot afford electric cars. Consequently, most Americans know what world leaders don’t. How sad what passes for leadership in the world!
Hopefully the USA pays attention to this story & does not go to Electric Vehicles until a plan is in place to produce & support all components made in USA. Plan ahead……….
Once again, we see a lack of common sense from out of touch, “woke” leaders. The average person knows that the world is not ready for a full time commitment to renewable energy, it seems that it is only the “smart” people that cannot see this. They are more worried about being first in line to make money than they are about the planet. We probably will NEVER be able to be 100% reliant on renewable energy, some things just require too much power. Also, when you factor in the huge carbon footprint created to make many of these products and the cost of these “renewable” resources, many times they are worse for the planet than fossil fuels. They want to knock the fossil fuel billionaires off of their throne and create a new throne for themselves………… and a fat bank account.
tell europe to POUND SAND for their oil. oh, and let their elites who want this scenario, pay for it!
Do ya all remember when international leaders were genuflecting before a half-wit kid named Greta Thunberg? And more recently, did I see some German head of state crowing about how sanctions on Russia were ‘necessary’. . .and how everyone will need to sacrifice to enforce them?
Beware the social justice warrior from Planet Earth. They are certifiably, criminally insane.
My folks used to say all the time that a hard head makes a soft behind!
They didn’t want to listen to President Trump back then. They even laughed and snickered.
What will you do now that Winter will soon be upon you, Europe?
Yep, nothing but a global cabal of hard headed buffoons for quasi-leadership….and yes, as an American, I am including the currently installed bunch of jokers we have here in that roundup as well!
You will end up in a hole somewhere that you really do not want to be in everytime you blindly follow the so called “expert politicians” who consistently get all of their “expert advice” from the “think tank experts” who are all “anonymous”.
The leftists are trying to do the same mistakes here so this is going to be US soon enough! Democrats are waiting until after midterms to inflict more pain.
Global warming not such a bad thing now, huh???
China has invested heavily in Africa so if Europe is going to go begging there for oil & gas they will also have to deal with China. Wonderful.
I would say, to heck with Europe.
Leadership and climate policies have already killed off enough people to off set global warming and line their pockets with wealth most of us will never know. They are just afraid that no heat in the winter will kill of those who support them by votes in elections. Isn’t less population what the climate change people want? Even if it means their constituents die, the goal shall be met. Schwab, Gates, and other billionaires don’t care if all people over the globe are lost as long as they remain in power, and control all the nations and money in the world.
Funny how things look so differently when it affects YOU.
Thanks for article, should be a wake-up call to countries all over the world. And “Not In My Backyard” is the last of your worries when you are freezing in the dark.