Image: astrid westvang, Tank top! / Flickr / creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0

Fossil fuel lock-in: why gas is a false solution Conference in Brussels, 26–28 September 2016 The oil and gas industry as well as the European Commission currently advertise gas as a “climate friendly” or “low-carbon” fossil fuel and a “partner for renewables”. But while it is claimed that gas has a smaller carbon footprint than coal or oil, gas is in fact responsible for large quantities of greenhouse gas emissions. Not only is it still a polluting fossil fuel, but the methane released in the production and use of natural gas is – in the long term – more than 80 times worse for the climate than CO2. Furthermore, evidence shows that gas is competing with and displacing renewable energy projects. Rather than being climate-friendly, gas is another industry-promoted false solution, leading to a climate dead-end. Last December's climate conference in Paris agreed to “pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees”, and while certainly vague and non-binding, actually achieving this would mean leaving 80% percent of fossil fuel reserves in the ground. Nevertheless, worldwide, large exploration missions are going on, and gas exploitation and gas trading is expected to rise. And Europe is a driving force in this rush for gas. Currently more than half of the natural gas used in the EU is imported from Norway, Russia, Qatar, Nigeria, and the Maghreb states Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya. For the future, the EU plans to import natural gas from Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, the US, and from Iran. Oil and natural gas exploitation are often connected to human rights violations and environmental

Conference program “Fossil fuel lock-in”, Brussels, 26–28 September 2016, 07/09/2016

1

damage. A change of the energy policy in the North could change developments in the Global South, and there is a responsibility of the European Union to consider this. The EU energy security package from February 2016 gives way to large investments in LNG and gas infrastructure and to a future rise of natural gas imports – despite a continued decrease of gas use in Europe. The gas pipeline “Southern Gas Corridor” – a flagship project to bring gas from the Caspian Sea to Europe championed by some of the biggest oil and gas corporations – is largely supported by European institutions and its realisation is accelerating. In whose interest is the current rush for gas in the EU? What happens in the natural gas producer’s countries, what are the conditions of exploitation? What are the prospects of growth of natural gas exploitation? How can we as civil society collectively challenge this gas agenda and debunk myths around it? What can we do to show that gas development is counterproductive for the energy transition in Europe and worldwide and coordinate better against a new fossil fuel lock-in (after oil and coal)? How can we strengthen our alternatives and “energy democracy”? Objectives:     

De-legitimize gas as a transition fuel; Learn about consequences of the fossil fuel lock-in for environment, climate, human rights, and economy; Learn about EU gas politics and experience with resistance; Build campaigning capacity to fight gas and strengthen cooperation; Share knowledge about alternatives and “energy democracy”.

Target group: Energy and climate campaigners and activists Languages: English, Spanish, French (Arabic) Organisation: Rosa-Luxemburg-Stiftung Brussels in cooperation with: Corporate Europe Observatory; Counter Balance; Food and Water Europe; Friends of the Earth Europe; PowerShift e.V. Berlin; War on Want Venue: Maison des Associations Internationales (MAI), Rue Washington 40, 1050 Bruxelles Contact: Marlis Gensler, Rosa-Luxemburg-Stiftung Brussels Office, [email protected] See also Conference website.

Conference program “Fossil fuel lock-in”, Brussels, 26–28 September 2016, 07/09/2016

2

Conference program Conference: Fossil fuel lock-in: why gas is a false solution Date: 26–28 September 2016 Venue: Maison des Associations Internationales (MAI), Rue Washington 40, 1050 Bruxelles

Monday, 26 September 2016 10.00 – 10.30

Welcome & Round of introduction Claus-Dieter König, Rosa-Luxemburg-Stiftung Brussels

10.30 – 11.00

Part 1. Setting the scene: Gas and climate – why gas is a false solution and why we need to address the issue Chair: Molly Walsh, Friends of the Earth Europe 

Expectations: Why this conference? (Laura Weis, PowerShift e.V. Berlin)



Push for gas: Why is there such a massive push for gas by the oil and gas industry and the European Commission? (Pascoe Sabido, Corporate Europe Observatory)



Local resistance: Environmental destruction and local resistance (Peter Polder, Netherlands; Liz, GroenFront!, Netherlands)

11:00 – 11:15

Coffee break

11:00 – 13:30



13.30 – 14.30

Lunch at conference venue

14.30 – 16.00

Part 2. Sharing experiences: New infrastructure projects as points of common reference for protest against gas?

Lecture on Gas Emissions and Climate (Robert Howarth, Cornell University, New York, Board of Directors for Food & Water Watch). Followed by questions & answers & discussion

Chair: Xavier Sol, Counter Balance 

Gas imports and infrastructure: Prospects of growth of gas exploitation worldwide? Gas imports to Europe from where, how much? Short overview of planned gas infrastructure (pipelines and LNG-terminals) at EU level including assessment (Alfons Perez, ODG, Spain)



The Southern Gas Corridor: Gas pipeline system from Asia to Europe, and human rights violations in Azerbaijan (Emma Hughes, Platform London)



The Trans-Adriatic-Pipeline (TAP): Resistance in transit countries (Elena Gerebizza, Re:common, Italy)

Conference program “Fossil fuel lock-in”, Brussels, 26–28 September 2016, 07/09/2016

3



The Spanish experience: Experience with mobilisation against gas infrastructure (Alfons Perez, ODG, Spain – oder Kevin)



Keystone XL: Why was the resistance against the oil pipeline Keystone XL in Canada and the US so successful? What can we in Europe learn from the North-American campaign? (Jane Kleeb, Bold Nebraska, Campaign against Keystone XL, Nebraska Democratic Chair-Elect, US)

16.00 – 16.15

Coffee break

16:15 – 17:45

Reflection/discussion (1h30min) Reflection and exchanging experiences, possible cooperation for joint activities (Laura Weis, PowerShift e.V. Berlin) Discussants (among others): 

Andy Gheorghiu, Food and Water Europe (Exxon Mobile Campaign)

17.45 – 18.00

Short break

18.00 – 20:30

Part 3 (public event). Fossil fuel lock-in from a global perspective: Conditions and consequences of gas exploitation for environment, economy, human rights, democracy – and why Europe should care Chairs:Hamza Hamouchene, War on Want, Claus-Dieter König, Rosa-Luxemburg-Stiftung Brussels

20:30 – 22:00



Algeria: Anti-fracking uprising in Algeria (Mohamed Gasmi, Algeria)



Unemployed movement in the oil and gas-rich Sahara (Ibek Ag Sahli Abdelmalek, Algeria)



Tunisia: Extractivism and energy in Tunisia (Chafik Ben Rouine, Obseravtoire Tunisien de l'Economie OTE, Tunisia)



Climate change in Tunisia (Mohsen Kalboussi, Tunisia, tbc)



European Corporations abroad: Fracking in Argentina (Enrique Viale, OPSur, Argentina; Lorena Riffo, Tierra para Vivir, Argentina)



Gas and trade: How fossil fuel lock-in is built into trade agreements – the example of gas (Pascoe Sabido, Coroporate Europe Observatory)

Dinner at conference venue

Conference program “Fossil fuel lock-in”, Brussels, 26–28 September 2016, 07/09/2016

4

Tuesday, 27 September 2016 10.00 – 11.30

Part 4. EU-level: What is happening at the EU level? Where could and should we have a stronger collaboration between local, national and regional level? Chair: Antoine Simone, Friends of the Earth Europe 

Introduction: Why is more coordination important? Countering the push for “green gas” and “power-to-gas” (Antoine Simone, Friends of the Earth Europe)



EU gas strategy: Energy Union, EU gas strategy: What is behind this plan?



Gas consumption in the EU: How much gas & infrastructure does the EU actually need? (Manon Dufour, E3G, Brussels)



Narrative: What is the industry's narrative and agenda? How can we counter it? (Laura Weis, PowerShift e.V. Berlin)

11.30 – 11.45

Coffee break

11.45 – 14.00

Reflection/discussion (2h15min) Reflection and exchanging experiences, possible cooperation for joint activities

14.00 – 15.00

Lunch at conference venue

15.00 – 16.00

Part 5. Energy democracy: Alternatives to a new gas lock-in Chair: Laura Weis, PowerShift e.V. Berlin 

100% renewables: What would a 100% renewable energy future look like? What scenarios are there? How can gas be replaced in the heating sector?



A Critique of the Moroccan Solar Plan (Lucile Daumas, Attac Morocco)



Energy democracy in Europe: Community Energy: What do we really need and what sort of energy system do we want? (Molly Walsh, Friends of the Earth Europe)

16.00 – 16.15

Coffee break

16.15 – 17.00

Outlook, feedback Chair: Claus-Dieter König and Pascoe Sabido, CEO What has been discussed? Possible strategies? What do we need for a follow-up?

19:00 – 21:00

Dinner at conference venue

Conference program “Fossil fuel lock-in”, Brussels, 26–28 September 2016, 07/09/2016

5

Wednesday, 28 September 2016 (Optional – two options – two different venues) 10:30 – 12:30

Gas – A bridge fuel to global warming? Public conference in the European Parliament Organized by: Xabier Benito (GUE/NGL group), MEPs Michèle Rivasi (Greens/EFA group), Dario Tamburrano (EFDD group) Speakers: Antoine Simone, Friends of the Earth Europe; Xavier Sol, Counter Balance; Pascoe Sabido, Corporate Europe Observatory; Robert Howarth, Cornell University Languages: English, Italian, French and Spanish Venue: European Parliament - For accreditation for access in the European Parliament, please send an email to: [email protected]

Lobby Tour (to be confirmed) With Pascoe Sabido, Corporate Europe Observatory.

Meeting point: in the European Quarter - to be defined

*** End ***

Conference program “Fossil fuel lock-in”, Brussels, 26–28 September 2016, 07/09/2016

6

Conference program “Fossil fuel lock-in”, Brussels, 26–28 September 2016, 07/09/2016

7