Energy crisis due to Russia-Ukraine war must not delay emissions slash, instructs UN

A switch back to coal and or fossil fuels by several countries to wear an energy crisis triggered by Russia’s war in Ukraine shouldn’t compromise efforts to curb greenhouse emissions, United Nations officials said Wednesday.

Sonja Leighton-Kone, a senior official with United Nations Environment Program said lending a sympatic ear to energy “shock” many countries are suffering doesn’t mean goal of a speedy switch to clean energy can’t be achieved.

“We do have tools, we have will and we are going to have to find a way to walk with balance between managing a very current threat, but keeping our eyes on long term objectives that we have,” Leighton-Kone told Associated Press.

She spoke at 9th Environment for Europe Ministerial Conference held in Nicosia, Cypriot capital.

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Executive Secretary Olga Algayerova said suspending timetable on achieving specific climate change goals whenever an energy crisis arises would mean y would never be achieved.

“We cannot relate everything to situation that we see today,” Algayerova said. ”And if we just prolong and extend deline ... we never reach goal.”

A number of countries have backtracked on ir commitments to phase out fossil fuels for energy generation in wake of war in Ukraine, including Germany which decided in July to reactivate coal and oil-fired power plants. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said move was only temporary and that his government remains committed to doing “everything” to combat climate crisis.

U.N. climate chief Simon Stiell said last month he’s hopeful return to coal and oil is a “temporary regression” and that countries would accelerate ir push for clean energy once crisis subsides.

A U.N. environmental assessment found that countries in a region including Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia continue to pump out more greenhouse gases overall because any reductions achieved mostly by western European countries have been offset by increases in rest of region.

Presenting findings, Algayerova said use of renewables increased in 29 countries between 2013-2017, but region still largely relies on fossil fuels for 78% of total final energy consumption.

She said consequences from climate change such as floods and droughts are affecting both quality and quantity of fresh water in region.

“ findings of this report must be a real wake up call for region. historic drought region faced this summer is announcing what we should expect in years to come,” said Algayerova.