Facing an energy crisis, Germans stock up on candles
22 Dec 2022
The candle boom began during the pandemic, after the government imposed lockdowns and Germans began spending a lot more time at home. The industry expected the boom to end once the nation opened back up, Thomann says. "But then the war (in Ukraine) started."
Prior to Russia's invasion, Germany was getting more than half of its natural gas from Russia. It was Russia's biggest natural gas customer in the European Union, and many Germans used this gas to heat their homes, generate electricity, and power their factories.
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EU asks 44 oil and gas producers to provide new CO2 storage solutions
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The European Commission said on Thursday it had asked 44 oil and gas companies to contribute to the EU's collective target of storing at least 50 million tonnes of CO2 per year by 2030, as part of the bloc's aim to achieve climate neutrality.
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The European Commission’s climate chief successfully lobbied Germany’s coalition government to endorse a controversial measure that weakens the EU’s next climate target.
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European Union countries backed plans on Tuesday to scale back the bloc's carbon border levy to cover just 10% of the companies currently covered by the scheme, on the grounds that these firms account for nearly all of the emissions involved.
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The NGO previously sued Shell to reduce its carbon emissions. The oil major has 700 extraction assets that have yet to be developed with potential CO2 emissions of 36 times those of the Netherlands’ annually.
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More than 70% of European cities are not adapting to climate change in a consistent and coherent way.
Greenland dangles rare earths partnership with EU as Trump looms
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Greenland’s foreign minister has suggested the European Union could develop its coveted mineral resources amid threats by U.S. President Donald Trump to seize the island.
