Vladimir Putin topped Politico Europe's "green" list for compelling Europe to switch to green energy after Russia invaded Ukraine.
Politico Europe produced a list of 28 politicians and scientists accelerating Europe's green energy revolution. Putin tops the list because he withholds fossil supplies like natural gas to weaken Europe's support for Ukraine, urging countries to switch to renewable energy and advancing the EU's climate agenda, Politico said.
Politico: "He [Putin] attacked Europe's energy system just as cheap and reliable alternatives became plausible."
Solar panels are stacking up in European warehouses because there aren't enough engineers to install them, Bloomberg reports.
According to Business Insider, Europe is burning a lot of coal to avoid electricity shortages this winter. The U.S. Energy Information Administration says coal emits twice as much as natural gas.
In reaction to EU sanctions, Russia has reduced gas deliveries via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, forcing electricity costs to surge across Europe. Europe is in an energy crisis and its residents are burning firewood to cope as Russian energy sources are sanctioned and disrupted.
According to The New York Times, firms are chopping down forests in Europe to make wood pellets to heat homes and businesses. In September, the EU opted to keep wood biomass as renewable energy to boost its energy security.
Germans are boosting security at wood warehouses as electricity prices soar, Bloomberg reports. France's wood pellet costs have nearly doubled to $600 per ton, and Hungary has waived conservation restrictions and barred exports.
Renewable energy made up 22.1% of the EU's total energy consumption in 2020, and 60% of it came from biomass, such as wood pellets and firewood.
Europe, which purchased 45% of its natural gas from Russia in 2021, is also importing American liquefied natural gas to fight fuel shortages, reports Reuters. The 2020 EU Green Deal aspires to phase out fossil fuels, yet the energy crisis forced the EU to classify natural gas as green energy.
According to the Associated Press, the head of the UN meteorological office said Tuesday that the Ukraine war "may be considered as a benefit" for the environment since it encourages states to develop green energy solutions.
Politico Europe didn't immediately respond to a comment request.
The preceding is a summary of an article that originally appeared on WND.