World News | International Energy Agency Unveils 10-point Plan to Reduce Europe's Dependence on Russian Gas

Moscow [Russia], March 3 (ANI): The International Energy Agency (IEA) unveiled on Thursday a 10-point plan to reduce the dependence of Europe on Russia's gas supplies, including the use of renewable energy sources and turning to other suppliers.

"The IEA's 10-Point Plan to Reduce the European Union's Reliance on Russian Natural Gas includes a range of complementary actions that can be taken in the coming months, such as turning more to other suppliers, drawing on other energy resources and accelerating efforts to provide consumers, businesses and industry with means to use clean and efficient alternatives to natural gas," the agency said in a statement, reported Sputnik.

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The first two points of the document propose to abandon the conclusion of new contracts with Russia for gas supplies and replace them with alternative gas sources.

"Reducing reliance on Russian gas will not be simple, requiring a concerted and sustained policy effort across multiple sectors, alongside strong international dialogue on energy markets and security," the report said.

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The IEA believes that implementing the measures this year "could bring down gas imports from Russia by over one-third, with additional temporary options to deepen these cuts to well over half while still lowering emissions."

"A suite of measures in our 10-Point Plan ... could result in the EU's annual call on Russian gas imports falling by more than 50 bcm [billion cubic meter] within one year - a reduction of over one-third. These figures take into account the need for additional refilling of European gas storage facilities in 2022 after low Russian supplies helped drive these storage levels to unusually low levels," the report said, reported Sputnik.

There is also a possibility for Europe to go even "further and faster to limit near-term reliance on Russian gas, although these would mean a slower near-term pace of EU emissions reductions," the document said. (ANI)

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