As of: 04/18/2022 4:58 p.m
According to Greenpeace, Germany could transfer significantly more money for Russian energy this year than before. Payments for gas could double. Unions and employers warn of a gas embargo.
According to Greenpeace calculations, Germany could transfer significantly more money for Russian energy supplies this year than last year. According to this, the total for oil and gas from Russia could rise to almost 32 billion euros, compared to only 20 billion euros last year. This is reported by the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” (SZ) and refers to the study by the environmental protection organization.
For natural gas alone, the sum could double from 8.8 billion euros in 2021 to 17.6 billion. In the case of oil, the increase would not be quite as strong – from 11.4 billion to 14.3 billion euros.
For comparison: 32 billion euros corresponds to more than half (around 57 percent) of the Russian military budget for 2020.
“Peace levy” as a way out?
According to the “SZ”, Greenpeace is bringing new sanctions into play as a possible alternative with which the federal government could skim off part of the Russian profits. This “peace tax” could later be used to finance the reconstruction of Ukraine, the expansion of renewable energies and help for citizens because of the high energy prices.
The EU countries have so far imposed an import ban on Russian coal and other sanctions. On the other hand, some EU countries, including Germany, are reluctant to extend the embargo to oil and gas for fear of the economic impact.
Employers and unions warn of gas embargo
Trade unions and employers have now jointly warned of a possible ban on imports of Russian natural gas. Sanctions would have to be targeted, while protecting one’s own economy. “We don’t see that in the gas embargo currently being discussed,” said a joint statement by DGB boss Reiner Hoffmann and the chairman of the employers’ association BDA, Rainer Dulger.
According to Dulger and Hoffmann, the negative effects on the economy and employment would be greater in Germany than in Russia. “A rapid gas embargo in Germany would result in production losses, production standstills, further deindustrialization and sustained job losses.” In order to continue to support Ukraine and keep up the pressure on Russia, you need a stable economy and a stable labor market.
The chemical and food industries would be particularly affected
The chemical industry in particular had referred to its large consumption of oil and gas and warned of the massive consequences for the country’s value chains. About 95 percent of all industrial products require chemical products.
The Food and Drinks Restaurant Union (NGG) also warned against an import ban. The food industry is the second largest industrial gas consumer in Germany after the chemical industry, said NGG chairman Guido Zeitler to the newspapers of the Funke media group. If there is no longer enough gas supplied, it can no longer be produced. “We wouldn’t go hungry because of this, but there would be major production losses that consumers in the supermarkets would feel.”