U.S., Germany reach agreement on Russian gas pipeline, ending dispute between allies

[former9thward]

Source: Washington Post

The Biden administration reached an agreement with Germany on Wednesday that allows for the completion of a controversial natural gas pipeline between Russia and Germany, ending a heated dispute between the two allies that overlapped three successive U.S. administrations.

In exchange for an end to U.S. efforts to block the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, Germany will invest in Ukraine’s green technology infrastructure and Berlin and Washington will work together on other initiatives to mitigate Russia’s energy dominance in Europe.

The decision drew immediate criticism from Russia hawks in Congress who hoped the United States could find a way to block the nearly-completed multibillion-dollar project they say gives Moscow leverage over U.S. allies in Europe.

The Biden administration viewed the project as a dilemma that forced it to choose between restoring its beleaguered relationship with Berlin and keeping its public promise to oppose the project. U.S. officials doubted that U.S. sanctions could ultimately prevent its completion and argued that a deal with Germany rather than a protracted fight offered the best outcome.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/nord-stream-pipeline-germany-russia/2021/07/21/c8788eda-ea4b-11eb-84a2-d93bc0b50294_story.html?wpmk=1&wpisrc=al_world__alert-world--alert-politics&utm_source=alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=wp_news_alert_revere&location=alert&pwapi_token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.69tscXSC7de3dQ8Qajw7lP5bISoMRYq_7gO2FR_Hkk8

[rockfordfile]

1. It does give Russia some power over allies

[former9thward]

2. Yes, when you can turn off someone's energy then you can control them.

[TomWilm]

3. Yes, and if they stop buying Russia's gas, it will hurt Russia's economy

It is the very old principle of Peace Through Trade. In the 1700s Montesquieu specified that peace is a natural consequence of trade. Germany is now dependent on Russian gas, though not so badly that they could not drop it again. Russia has most to gain, but has to act better to keep Germany as a customer - or Kremlin will go bankrupt.

[ancianita]

4. There must be a net gain that U.S. and Germany see in supporting Ukraine's green tech

infrastructure, since much of Europe's gas lines go through Ukraine.

13 European countries get 50% or more of their gas from Russia; another 19 get less than 50% or none from Russia, Germany being one of them, getting 35%.

Germany continues to push forward ... with its Energiewende project, in which the country aims to both decarbonise its economy and stop using nuclear energy. To achieve the country’s goal of becoming nearly carbon-neutral by mid-century, Europe's biggest economy will have to virtually phase out all fossil fuel use.

https://www.cleanenergywire.org/factsheets/gas-pipeline-nord-stream-2-links-germany-russia-splits-europe

Energy independence from a politically hostile Russia has been the EU's goal for a while now.

[BumRushDaShow]

5. Since Germany has the largest population of any in Europe

(upwards of 83 million), what that 35% represents is probably still considered substantial in raw terms, when compared to the smaller population countries, and their needs/usage.

[ancianita]

6. Sure.

Massive gas inflow matters for the reason you point out, the Baltics being among those that use 100% of Russian gas. And proximity to a gas supplier. Britain's has the next largest population and uses no Russian gas.

Can't find any list more recent, but this serves to give an idea.

[BumRushDaShow]

7. Because they are on an island

England (UK) has always fancied themselves "separate" (in more ways than one) from "the continent".

And guess what they have in abundance that most of the rest don't?



They are still having sharp debates about the coal mining there (and types) as they continue to propose and/or open new mines - https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jul/14/campaigners-hail-end-opencast-coalmines-uk-latest-victory

Oddly, we hear little or nothing about the coal mining in the UK - except maybe from history classes about the industrial revolution.

France actually comes in 2nd in terms of European population and they invested quite a bit in nuclear (and are 2nd only to the U.S. for number of operating plants). And although I recall articles not too long ago about their considering or promising to phase them out, apparently they haven't fully committed to that yet and will continue to use nuclear as their primary power source - https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/10/frances-love-affair-with-nuclear-power-will-continue-but-change-is-afoot-.html

So aside from the small eastern European/old Soviet bloc countries, most the rest of the countries, particularly those with ports or port access, are probably using oil.

[ancianita]

8. The more you explain this, the more I

want to conclude that the biggest block to coordinating clean energy innovation & transition is that these nations' policy default to enlightened self interest over energy, which collectively maintains the international inertia over climate action.

Thank you for your always-informative posts, BRDS.

Relevant book: Too Smart For Our Own Good -- the Ecological Predicament of Humankind. If time is tight and it's too long, the last two chapters are clear enough on the probabilities for this Anthropocene.

[BumRushDaShow]

9. Sometimes it takes awhile and a lot of prodding

but consider that we're not using mostly leaded gasoline anymore (and that was relatively recent), so something can eventually bring about change!

https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a20970380/how-leaded-gas-came-to-be-and-why-we-dont-miss-it/

[ancianita]

10. They've had a while. A long while.

Millions have protested, young children begged at the highest levels of world gatherings, millions are dying, drowning, proddings that aren't enough.

I'm hoping that voting turnouts will chip away at this inertia in time to stop the heat momentum.

[BumRushDaShow]

11. Although its obvious that the world needs to coordinate the major changes that need to happen NOW

the effort doesn't have to solely rely on the leaders of nations to start the change. The people themselves can be shown how to make the types of changes that they can do themselves at their homes, collectively. That will help them feel a part of and contribute to the goal, even if those new choices or activities or behaviors are dubbed as being "trivial".

[ancianita]

12. Fair analysis. I've seen and read about local populations' efforts.

It's true they could do a lot in spite of, and that's how improvements happen, historically. I've probably been staring at trainwrecks too long and need to reset my perspective.

[BumRushDaShow]

13. Here in Philly

it has become something as simple as getting the funding, materials, and elbow grease to take a vacant lot, get it cleared and detoxified or just use raised beds... or even a find a (certified for load) rooftop (which would also make it a green roof), and then grow food there.





Doing raised beds makes it much easier to control any toxin exposure from the ground and the plants reduce the amount of asphalt absorbing/radiant that heat in an inefficient manner.

LOL and as I'm typing this, I am hearing a blip on he news radio station about this - https://www.media.pa.gov/Pages/Agriculture_details.aspx?newsid=1112

The state's AG secretary has been here visiting the urban farms.

[ancianita]

14. That's good news I'm glad to know about.

Here in Florida, the problems are both local and state level, and the phosphorus spill that broke into Tampa Bay is coped with, but not solved, because of inaction by the state. DeSenseless says he's acting to help locals, but never enough to stop major polluters who profit at Floridians' expense.

For days, state newspapers cover the red tide and the 1,200 tons of dead fish that just washed up around the St. Petersburg part of Tampa Bay. Just today, West Coast locals hit the business wall again, with DeSenseless telling St Petersburg that his making an emergency declaration "would hurt businesses by sending the message that 'Florida has problems.'

The other side:
Kriseman was not invited to the discussion that took place before DeSantis' press conference, spokesperson Ben Kirby tweeted, adding that DeSantis "surrounds himself with handpicked Republicans."

Rep. Charlie Crist (D), one of DeSantis' challengers in the 2022 gubernatorial race, tweeted: "Maybe [DeSantis] needs a COVID test because if you can’t smell the rotting fish and red tide burn something’s wrong with your senses. We need an emergency declaration and aid, not happy talk, Governor."
Between the lines: DeSantis said Tampa Bay "looks a lot better than it did last week," but as the Tampa Bay Times pointed out, red tide could still get worse at Gulf beaches even as the bay itself gets better.

https://www.axios.com/ron-desantis-tampa-bay-red-tide-state-of-emergency-334ecd4c-700c-4a1e-8f99-2495d22c84a9.html

This has gone on for years. His whole approach is his Mar-a-Lago mentor's covid approach: change today's records that will become tomorrow's whitewashed history.

[BumRushDaShow]

15. The whole ecosystem of Florida

requires a complete rethink on how to handle it. Management of the wetlands and tidal basins, and what is literally a yearly problem of toxic algae blooms/the "red tide", which demands major controls of fertilizer runoff. And that leads to the persistent low oxygen levels i the surrounding waters, killing the fish.

When you have a loon running the state, it basically forces you to wait him out and hope that someone with an actual brain, can become governor.

Literally every single year I read about that just like I read about what happens with Lake Erie and its annual algae blooms - exasperated by the same type of thing - overuse of and runoff from certain fertilizers - https://www.cleveland.com/news/2021/05/2021-lake-erie-harmful-algal-bloom-prediction-smaller-but-more-severe.html

As a sidenote - here's the story of the Ag Secretary's visit here - https://www.audacy.com/kywnewsradio/news/local/diversity-urban-farm-education-touted-by-ag-secretary

[ancianita]

16. Agree.

Since I grew up in Broward County, Democrats have waited out someone better, but never could get a statehouse with the brain power to support a good governor, even a good Republican governor.

This is the state trainwreck I've moved back from Chicago to witness again. This time my goal here is to donate, vote and maybe work for the Val Demings Senate campaign (an FSU grad like me). She's got a better shot in the Democratic primary here than Alan Grayson, and she knows a lot more about ATF's work on Florida's gun trafficking than he does (ATF lists it as the hot spot distributor for the Caribbean), though she won't campaign on that problem in a state full of gun humpers.