Europe 'greenwashes' with renewable energy from North Africa

Europe taps into renewable energy to “greenwash” its economy, while North Africans rely on dirty imported fuels at environmental costs.

European energy projects hamper efforts to reduce carbon emissions

Environmental organization Greenpeace believes that projects supported by European countries are hindering the ability of economies in these countries to reduce carbon emissions.

European countries are tapping renewable energy from Morocco and Egypt to “greenwash” their own economies, while leaving North Africans dependent on dirty imported fuel and bearing the environmental costs, according to a Greenpeace report.

European-funded renewable and low-carbon energy projects, aimed at producing energy for export, are undermining the ability of domestic economies to decarbonise in Egypt and Morocco. Illustration photo

Both Morocco and Egypt leverage their strategic locations in the southern Mediterranean, along with their solar and wind energy potential, to claim an important role in helping Europe diversify its energy supplies.

Greenpeace’s report says that European-funded renewable and low-carbon energy projects, which produce energy for export, are undermining the ability of the domestic economies to decarbonize in both countries. They are also displacing local communities and consuming millions of liters of clean water, especially in areas where water is already scarce.

Yet both Egypt and Morocco remain fossil fuel energy importers, buying large quantities of oil and gas to meet domestic needs while selling cleaner energy to Europe.

Aim to become a global energy hub

After the conflict between Ukraine and Russia broke out, European energy companies invested billions of dollars in Egypt to exploit gas fields there, to replace the 80 billion cubic meters of Russian gas that was cut off.

However, excessive drilling by oil and gas companies has caused disruption in geological structures, leading to soil erosion and water pollution, Greenpeace said, adding that Egyptians have hardly benefited from the situation.

Egypt is now increasing its domestic use of dirty fuels such as fuel oil - a mixture of heavy hydrocarbons containing toxins such as sulfides and heavy metals - in order to release more gas for export to Europe, the report said.

However, according to an international think tank, Egypt will need international investment if it is to build the infrastructure and industry needed to rapidly expand its renewable energy sector. “ With smart, forward-looking policies from the Egyptian government, combined with strong international partnerships, Egypt could become a global clean energy hub, ” the Atlantic Council said.

In Morocco, energy group TotalEnergies has invested $10.6bn (£8.4bn) in a green hydrogen and ammonia plant in Guelmim-Oued Noun, which is expected to start production in 2027. Germany has also committed up to €300m (£250m) in green hydrogen facilities, both of which are aimed at the export market.

“ Northern countries must take responsibility for reducing their own consumption and building domestic renewable energy capacity, rather than shifting the social and environmental costs to southern countries,” said Hanen Keskes, Greenpeace’s head of campaigns for the Middle East and North Africa. “We must continue to fight to dismantle colonial influences and transform the global financial architecture .”

Egypt will need international investment if it is to build the infrastructure and industry needed to rapidly expand its renewable energy sector, according to an international think tank. The Atlantic Council believes that with smart, forward-looking policies from the Egyptian government, combined with strong international partnerships, Egypt could become a global clean energy hub.

Source: https://congthuong.vn/chau-au-tay-xanh-bang-nang-luong-tai-tao-tu-bac-phi-374946.html