Russia sanctions: EU urges citizens to work from home, cut energy use to stop funding Ukraine war effort
Europe continues to seek means of immediately cutting its reliance on Russian energy
FOX Business contributor Phil Flynn examines why Biden is exporting oil as gas prices rise on 'The Evening Edit.'
European officials have urged citizens in member states to reduce their energy consumption in an effort to cut reliance on Russian sources.
"This guide has easy-to-follow steps that with little or no discomfort on our part can reduce the flow of money to Russia’s military and help put us on a path to a cleaner and more sustainable planet," Fatih Birol, executive director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), advised.
RUSSIA INVADES UKRAINE: LIVE UPDATES
Russia’s energy exports have taken a central role in the Ukraine conflict as Moscow continues to exploit foreign reliance on its oil and gas to keep the cash flowing at a time when the economy has stabilized but remains vulnerable due to western sanctions.
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with top officials on support to aviation industry in Russia amid western sanctions vis videoconference at the Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, Russia, Thursday, March 31, 2022. (Mikhail Klimentyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
OPEC Secretary General Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo (C) participates in the Atlantic Council's Global Energy Forum in Dubai, on March 28, 2022. (Photo by Karim SAHIB / AFP) (Photo by KARIM SAHIB/AFP via Getty Images)
FILE - Pipes at the landfall facilities of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline are pictured in Lubmin, northern Germany, on Feb. 15, 2022. Stream 2 is a 764-mile natural gas pipeline under the Baltic Sea, running from Russia to Germany's Baltic coast. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn, File)
A woman works on her computer at her home office.
The European Commission this week advised member states that Moscow’s plan to complete contractually-obligated payments for its energy may not necessarily breach sanctions, but has also started laying out how citizens can reduce their overall energy consumption, according to the BBC.
"Faced with the horrendous scenes of human suffering that we’ve seen following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, people in Europe want to take action," Fatih said.
The measures, outlined by the IEA, could save an average household up to 450 euros ($486) a year and save an overall supply of over 220 million barrels of oil a year.
OIL HEADS FOR WEEKLY DECLINE OF AROUND 4%
The nine-point "Playing My Part" plan asks citizens to drive less and use public transit more or try to work remotely for at least three days a week.
Other measures include decreased use of heating and air conditioning, driving at lower speeds, using trains instead of planes when possible and promoting "car-free Sundays." The plan also suggests that households invest in insulation, smart digital thermostats and similar technologies that can help reduce fossil fuel use.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ON FOX BUSINESS
The U.S. and Britain have cut all Russian energy imports, and Poland is working to undo its own commitments. Other European countries, such as Germany, are trying to follow but face difficulties cutting reliance on their chief source of energy.
The E.U. in March announced plans to completely end its reliance on Russian gas by 2030.