Fatih Birol, President of the International Energy Agency, said that the volatility in the energy market and the pressure on prices will continue. He stated that Europe has been dependent on Russian oil and gas for many years and that stopping these long-standing imports means that winter will be difficult for Europe.
Fatih Birol, President of the
International Energy Agency (IEA), made statements on the global energy crisis.
Stating that the global economy is facing a major energy crisis, Birol said:
"We had such crises in the 1970s, but only the oil markets had gone through such difficult days. Currently, both oil, natural gas, coal and electricity are going through a difficult situation. We can expect volatility and price pressure to continue in the coming months. It has been a challenging few months for both Europe and the world.
For years Europe has been dependent on Russia for gas and oil. At the moment, 30-35 percent more gas is coming from Russia to Europe than before, and there is a possibility that this will be cut. Many forms of energy that have been avoided in Europe, such as coal, need to be used this winter, and some countries, such as Belgium and Germany, have decided to close their nuclear power plants. At the G7 leaders' summit, I suggested that they postpone the closure, at least for a while. Belgium accepted our suggestion and postponed the closure. It would be a nice surprise if Germany also postpones its decision to close its nuclear power plants.
Energy cuts in Europe can be voluntary. If it is not voluntary, it can also be done by government decision. Eastern European countries are 90-95 percent dependent on Russia. These countries may be affected much more by this crisis. The EU will also be put to the test in terms of cutbacks. I suggested that gas and electricity operators in Europe should come together. If electricity consumption cannot be reduced, Europe may experience sudden blackouts."