World

Energy ministers reach deal on EU-wide gas reduction plan

Published

2 years ago

July 26, 2022

Energy ministers reach deal on EU-wide gas reduction plan

Power ministers from EU international locations have reached a deal on an unprecedented vitality plan that can introduce a voluntary 15% discount in fuel consumption throughout the bloc from now till subsequent spring.

The discount might turn out to be obligatory in case of maximum fuel shortages, though many international locations can be mechanically spared from making painful sacrifices underneath a protracted record of agreed-upon exemptions.

The draft plan was unveiled final week by the European Fee in response to Russia’s continued manipulation of fuel flows in retaliation for the Western sanctions imposed over the invasion of Ukraine. Dwindling provides of Russian fuel are elevating fears of an imminent recession and a winter disaster.

The Czech Republic, which holds the rotating EU Council’s presidency, introduced the breakthrough on Tuesday, at precisely 12:00 PM CET, within the midst of a ministerial assembly in Brussels.

“This was not a Mission Unimaginable!,” the presidency’s Twitter account wrote.

“Negotiations weren’t straightforward. On the finish, everyone understands that sacrifices are vital and that we must share the ache,” Jozef Síkela, the Czech minister for trade and commerce, advised reporters.

“We ship a robust sign, not solely to Vladimir Putin, who as soon as once more did not divide the European Union, but in addition to our residents.”

Following the Fee’s authentic textual content, ministers agreed that every one 27 member states ought to minimize down their fuel consumption by 15% from August till March 2023. The primary part will likely be voluntary, primarily based on coordination, gas switching, temperature limits and knowledge campaigns.

Companies, public buildings and personal households will all be requested to contribute to the collective endeavor, which might assist save as much as 45 billion cubic metres (bcm) of fuel.

However within the occasion of a drastic discount of Russian fuel or exceptionally excessive demand, the 15% goal will turn out to be obligatory underneath an modern Union Alert system, triggered by a certified majority vote.

This can open the door for rationing throughout the bloc, forcing hand-picked energy-intensive factories to close down for a sure time frame. Households and important companies, similar to hospitals and colleges, will stay protected – except the disaster turns determined.

A protracted record of opt-outs

The Fee’s formidable plan instantly got here underneath assault by a number of member states, significantly these from the South, who denounced it as disproportionate, unfair and ineffective.

The final days noticed a flurry of negotiations to introduce amendments and safe carve-outs to the 15% discount ought to it flip obligatory. International locations pushed to make the goal extra malleable and tailor-made to nationwide circumstances.

The ultimate compromise stored the 15% objective intact however injected a protracted record of exemptions and opt-outs to the Union Alert system.

International locations who will not be interconnected to their neighbours or will not be synchronised with the European electrical energy system will likely be spared from the obligatory discount.

This can profit insular nations – Malta, Cyprus and Eire – and the Baltic states, that are nonetheless hooked to the Russian energy grid and can possible want to spice up their fuel provides if the Kremlin cuts them off.

“Asking the identical from each member state in a single day, it appears even a bit unfair to me,” mentioned Riina Sikkut, Estonia’s minister for financial affairs and infrastructure. “However I am positive that if all of us put within the effort that it is requested, we are able to do sufficient to efficiently survive the winter.”

One other derogation will apply to these international locations who show they use their liquefied pure fuel (LNG) infrastructure to import from non-Russian suppliers after which export to different member states “to the fullest.”

Spain, Portugal, Italy, Belgium and Greece had been amongst those that campaigned for the tweak.

“This package deal does not totally fulfill anyone,” mentioned Teresa Ribera, Spain’s minister for the ecological transition, forward of Tuesday’s assembly. “However it may be a really constructive assembly level.”

Ribera, who has been one of the vital important voices towards the Fee’s draft, struck a extra conciliatory tone in Brussels however insisted the precept of solidarity must be primarily based on flexibility and effectivity.

“All of us perceive that when any individual asks for assist, now we have to assist,” Ribera advised reporters.

Derogations to the obligatory 15% discount could possibly be even be requested by those that overshoot their fuel storage filling targets – minimal 80% by 1 November –, those that use fuel molecules in important industries – similar to fertilisers and chemical substances –, and those that have elevated their fuel consumption by a minimum of 8% prior to now yr and can’t due to this fact be requested to make a sudden minimize.

“This ensures the EU is not going to hurt its economic system,” mentioned Síkela, calling the ultimate textual content a “robust compromise.”

‘Bye, bye, Russian fuel’

The lengthy record of particular provisions means the bloc won’t be able to succeed in the 45 bcm fuel discount the Fee initially estimated and can find yourself slashing one thing between 30 bcm and 45 bcm, relying on what number of derogations are granted.

An initial analysis by the Bruegel assume tank exhibits that, at this time second, as much as 18 international locations may benefit from some type of opt-out or partial exemption, together with the bloc’s 4 largest economies.

Moreover the precise substance of the plan, member states additionally moved to vary the process to set off the Union Alert system, giving themselves a larger say to the Fee’s detriment.

Nonetheless, the manager welcomed the Council’s settlement, achieved in lower than per week.

“By appearing collectively to cut back the demand for fuel, making an allowance for all of the related nationwide specificities, the EU has secured the robust foundations for the indispensable solidarity between member states within the face of the Putin’s vitality blackmail,” Fee President Ursula von der Leyen mentioned in a press release.

The assembly in Brussels happened only a day after Gazprom, Russia’s state-owned vitality multinational, introduced it might additional scale back pure fuel flows by the Nord Stream 1 pipeline to only 20% of capability, citing tools repairs.

Von der Leyen mentioned Gazprom’s newest resolution lacked any “justifiable technical cause” and validated the necessity to transfer ahead with the EU-wide emergency plan.

For his half, German Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck, who attended Tuesday’s assembly, warned that so many exemptions to the 15% goal might trigger “an excessive amount of paperwork” and decelerate the bloc’s response in instances of disaster.

“However the exemptions, in themselves, they’re affordable, they are often defined,” Habeck admitted. “It’s essential that Europe stays united and is ready to ship a robust sign.”

Claude Turmes, Luxembourg’s vitality minister, mentioned the bloc will “stand collectively” and overcome “this winter, after which, subsequent winter.”

“After which anyway, it is bye, bye, Russian fuel,” he quipped.

The Union Alert regulation will apply for one yr, till Might 2023.

Hungary votes no

Regardless of the requires European unity to face Russia’s blackmail, Hungary voted towards the legislative file throughout Tuesday’s assembly, making it the one nation to interrupt ranks.

“That is an unjustifiable, pointless, unworkable and dangerous proposal that utterly ignores nationwide pursuits,” Hungarian Overseas Minister Peter Szijjarto advised reporters.

Szijjarto mentioned that vitality provide safety was “the accountability of nationwide governments,” calling the authorized foundation “doubtful”.

“Will somebody in Brussels clarify to Hungarians that there’s fuel in Hungary that people and firms can’t use? That is nonsense,” he mentioned.

In distinction with the EU’s plan to turn out to be much less reliant on Russia’s vitality sources, Szijjarto visited Moscow final week to barter an extra 700 million cubic metres of fuel on high of the 4.5 billion cubic metres delivered to Budapest annually earlier than the battle in Ukraine.

The Czech presidency didn’t touch upon Hungary’s unfavourable vote.

This text has been up to date to incorporate new developments.

Related Topics:Energy EU Council Featured Gas LNG Russia ukraine war

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World

Consejos para disfrutar de las celebraciones de fin de año, sin estrés

Published

9 hours ago

December 25, 2024

Press Room

Consejos para disfrutar de las celebraciones de fin de año, sin estrés

NUEVA YORK (AP) — Todos conocemos los factores de estrés: obligaciones sociales, rencillas familiares, divisiones políticas, estrés financiero y el deseo de mantenerse alegre y generoso todo el tiempo.

Así que aquí va un recordatorio sobre cómo desterrar a tu perfeccionista interior y disfrutar verdaderamente de la temporada festiva:

“Realmente ayuda dejar de lado algunos de los ‘deberías’”, dice Lynn F. Bufka, jefa de práctica de la Asociación Estadounidense de Psicología. “Decide cuál es la cosa que más importa, y las cosas que te brindan más alegría, y suelta las demás”.

Las tradiciones pueden cambiar y evolucionar, y cuanto más flexibles sean las cosas, más fácil será para todos, dice Bufka.

“Concentra tu energía en crear un espacio cálido para que las personas que amas se reúnan y relajen, se pongan al día y celebren unos a otros. Eso es literalmente todo lo que importa”, concuerda Lauren Iannotti, editora en jefe de Real Simple.

Algunos consejos:

Concéntrate en lo que te hace feliz

Podrías decidir que la conversación es tu objetivo principal y no preocuparte en absoluto por la decoración, dice Bufka. O si la decoración de la mesa es lo que amas, invierte tu energía allí y no te preocupes tanto por otros aspectos.

“Idealmente, debería tratarse de enfocarse en el amor, y eso no significa lo mismo para todos”, dice Bufka.

Permite que otros hagan las cosas por ti.

“La gente quiere ayudar, ¡déjalos!”, dice Iannotti. “Si no te ENCANTA cocinar todas esas guarniciones, o tienes poco tiempo, no hay ninguna vergüenza en aceptar que tu hermana haga el relleno. O busca ayuda de los profesionales: apoya a un restaurante local haciendo un pedido de catering”.

Otra opción es que “cada uno traiga un plato distintivo”, dice Ianotti. “Ahorrarás tiempo y dinero en la preparación y la cocina y tus invitados podrán mostrar sus habilidades”.

Darte permiso para tomar atajos

“Está bien si la casa está un poco desordenada o si la cena se sirve unos minutos tarde”, dice Iannotti. “Si las personas que has invitado están más interesadas en evaluar tu desempeño que en pasar un buen rato, pueden discutirlo con su terapeuta”. (Por cierto, no lo están, añade ella).

Y no dudes en dejar que la gente se sirva por sí misma, cuando sea posible. “Si no tienes tiempo para jugar a ser el barman, crea una bebida insignia con anticipación que puedas servir a todos tus invitados. También puedes simplemente dejar algunos mezcladores para que los invitados se sirvan y hagan sus propias creaciones”, sugiere Caroline Utz, directora editorial y de estrategia en The Spruce.

Está bien tener tiempo a solas

Las cosas funcionarán lo suficientemente bien si no lo supervisas todo, así que cuídate. Tómate pausas o caminatas si eso te ayuda a mantenerte centrado.

“Aunque el mindfulness se está convirtiendo en un término demasiado utilizado en la sociedad actual, hay algo valioso que podemos tomar de esto y aplicar a la temporada de fin de año”, dice Brook Choulet, psiquiatra deportiva y de rendimiento de concierge y fundadora de Choulet Performance Psychiatry.

Ella recomienda “programar microdescansos intencionales” para hacer algo que disfrutes.

“Por ejemplo, podrías programar una llamada telefónica con un amigo de otro estado, tomar un paseo de 15 minutos al aire libre, o incluso ajustar el temporizador y tomar un baño de 15 minutos sin interrupciones”, dijo.

Espera algo de discordia y no te alarmes por ello

“Si te preocupa la polarización y entrar en conversaciones incómodas, intenta pensar en maneras en que puedas terminar una conversación o cambiarla de dirección”, dice Bufka.

Ella recomienda preparar algunas frases de antemano para ayudar a terminar la conversación o cambiarla de dirección.

En resumen, tener la intención de una temporada festiva menos perfecta puede ser justo lo que necesitas.

___

Katherine Roth cubre temas de vida y estilo y otros temas para The Associated Press desde Nueva York.

___

Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.

World

Azerbaijan Airlines plane headed to Russia crashes hundreds of miles off course, dozens feared dead

Published

9 hours ago

December 25, 2024

Press Room

Azerbaijan Airlines plane headed to Russia crashes hundreds of miles off course, dozens feared dead

Dozens of passengers are feared dead after an Azerbaijan Airlines flight crashed near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan on Wednesday, reports say.

The Embraer 190 passenger jet flying from Azerbaijan to Russia had 62 passengers and five crew on board, Kazakh authorities announced, saying 32 survivors had been rescued.

Flight J2-8243 had flown hundreds of miles off its scheduled route to crash on the opposite shore of the Caspian Sea. Officials did not immediately explain why it had crossed the sea, but the crash came shortly after drone strikes hit southern Russia. Drone activity has shut airports in the area in the past and the nearest Russian airport on the plane’s flight path was closed on Wednesday morning.

Russia’s aviation watchdog, meanwhile, said it was an emergency that may have been caused by a bird strike.

MORE THAN 30 DEAD IN BRAZIL BUS AND TRUCK COLLISION

In this photo taken from a video released by the administration of Mangystau region, the wreckage of Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 lies on the ground near the airport of Aktau, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024. (The Administration of Mangystau Region/AP Photo)

Those aboard the plane included 42 Azerbaijani citizens, 16 Russian nationals, six Kazakhstani and three Kyrgyzstani citizens, according to Kazakhstani officials.

Russian news agency Interfax reported that both pilots died in the crash, citing a preliminary assessment by emergency workers at the scene. The news agency also quoted medical workers who stated that four bodies had been recovered from the crash so far.

A total of 29 survivors, including two children, have been hospitalized, the ministry told Russia’s state news agency, RIA Novosti, the Associated Press reported. Many passengers have yet to be accounted for.

MALAYSIA AGREES TO RESUME ‘NO FIND, NO FEE’ HUNT FOR FLIGHT MH370, 10 YEARS AFTER PLANE DISAPPEARED

More than 30 are feared dead following the crash near the Kazakhstani city of Aktau. (Azamat Sarsenbayev/AP Photo)

Video of the crash showed the plane descending rapidly before bursting into flames as it hit the seashore, and thick black smoke then rising, Reuters reported. Bloodied and bruised passengers could be seen stumbling from a piece of the fuselage that had remained intact.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, who had been traveling to Russia, returned to Azerbaijan upon hearing news of the crash, the president’s press service said. Aliyev was due to attend an informal meeting of leaders of the Commonwealth of Independent States, a bloc of former Soviet countries founded after the collapse of the Soviet Union, in St. Petersburg.

Emergency crews at the site of the Azerbaijani airliner crash on Dec. 25, 2024. (Azamat Sarsenbayev/AP Photo)

Aliyev expressed his condolences to the families of the victims in a statement on social media.

“It is with deep sadness that I express my condolences to the families of the victims and wish a speedy recovery to those injured,” he wrote.

He also signed a decree declaring Dec. 26 a day of mourning in Azerbaijan.

The plane was en route from the Azerbaijani capital of Baku to the Russian city of Grozny in the North Caucasus, the Associated Press reports. (The Administration of Mangystau Region/AP Photo)

In a statement, Azerbaijan Airlines said it would keep members of the public updated and changed its social media banners to solid black.

“We ask God for mercy on the passengers and crew members who lost their lives,” a translated statement on X said. “Their pain is our pain. We wish a speedy recovery to those injured.”

Reuters and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

World

Who is Europe's top investor in space in 2023?

Published

10 hours ago

December 25, 2024

Press Room

Who is Europe's top investor in space in 2023?

Luxembourg remains Europe’s top investor in space in a year when defence spending on space exceeded civil space budgets for the first time since the 1990s.

Global public investment in space hit a record high of €106 billion in 2023, an 11% increase compared to 2022.

In Europe, the total funding was €11.9 billion, showing a modest 1% rise in its share of global space investment.

According to the European Space Agency, defence spending on space exceeded civil space budgets last year for the first time since the 1990s. Defence expenditures in space are projected to grow faster than civil spending, making up 53% of the budget in 2024.

The US continues to dominate global space investment, accounting for 64% of the total budget, while China holds a strong second place, growing its share from an estimated 2% in 2000 to 12% in 2023 through long-term programmes in both civil and defence.

Europe ranks third, contributing 11% of the global space budget in 2023.

What share of their GDP do EU countries spend on public space budgets?

Luxembourg remains Europe’s leading investor in space, dedicating 0.135% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to the sector.

Globally, the country ranks third behind the US (0.262%) and Russia (0.169%).

In Europe, Luxembourg is followed by France, which invests 0.167% of its GDP, Italy at 0.103%, and Belgium at 0.095%.

On the other hand, private investment in space has continued to decline in 2023, dropping by 32% compared to 2022.

Europe also saw a 14% decrease in 2023 compared to the year before, with private space ventures receiving just below €980 million.

Although the US accounts for most of the global decline in 2023, its space sector continues to attract the largest share of investments at 60%, followed by Europe with 16% and China with 9%.

What was the state of space activity in 2023?

There were 221 orbital launches in 2023, an 18% increase compared to 2022.

Yet, a total of 212 launches were successful.

The US carried out more than half of the launches, with 96 of them conducted by SpaceX.

China accounted for 30% with 67 launches, a 5% increase from 2022, and Russia completed 19 launches.

The European launch service provider conducted three launches in 2023, including Europe’s first mission to Jupiter, which aimed to explore whether the planet’s three moons — Callisto, Europa, and Ganymede — could support life in their oceans.

Video editor • Mert Can Yilmaz