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Trump anuncia exploração de petróleo e gás na Groenlândia

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O presidente dos  Estados Unidos (EUA), Donald Trump, afirmou nesta quarta-feira (14) que “uma exploração em grande escala de petróleo, gás e minerais” está prestes a começar na Groenlândia — uma declaração polêmica sobre um território que tem resistido aos seus esforços para controlá-lo e proibiu novas perfurações em busca de petróleo bruto.

Trump descreveu a ilha dinamarquesa do Ártico, administrada por um governo semiautônomo, como “nossa nova e bela Groenlândia”. Ele divulgou mensagem nas redes sociais elogiando o que chamou de ganhos dos EUA, decorrentes de um acordo de segurança assinado em setembro.

Notícias relacionadas:

O gabinete do primeiro-ministro da Groenlândia se recusou a comentar a declaração de Trump.

O Ministério das Relações Exteriores da Dinamarca e o Ministério de Recursos Minerais da Groenlândia não responderam imediatamente aos pedidos de comentário.

A Groenlândia está envolvida em uma disputa com Trump, que vem afirmando desde 2019 que os EUA deveriam comprar ou tomar posse da ilha, estrategicamente localizada e rica em minerais, por razões de segurança. Em várias ocasiões, ele se recusou a descartar o uso da força.

Juntamente com a Dinamarca, os EUA e a Groenlândia chegaram a um acordo no mês passado para permitir que os Estados Unidos reforçassem sua presença militar na ilha — um acordo que parecia ter resolvido o impasse.

O acordo não concedeu quaisquer direitos de mineração ou perfuração.

“Uma exploração em grande escala de petróleo, gás e minerais está prestes a começar”, escreveu Trump em postagem em sua plataforma Truth Social.

“Há especialistas que afirmam que a quantidade de petróleo facilmente acessível é muito maior do que a de praticamente qualquer outro território, em qualquer lugar do mundo”, acrescentou ele, sem citar nenhum acordo específico ou projeto de desenvolvimento concreto.

A Groenlândia proibiu a mineração de urânio em seu território, bem como toda futura exploração de petróleo, em 2021.

O governo afirmou que está analisando se uma empresa do Texas, a Greenland Energy, pode utilizar licenças anteriores a essa proibição.

A empresa informou, em agosto deste ano, que tinha planos de perfurar em busca de petróleo em 2027 em uma bacia ainda não explorada na costa leste da Groenlândia, embora não tivesse licença própria para tal. A proprietária anterior, a Arco, investiu pesadamente em trabalhos sísmicos na década de 1970, mas nunca chegou a perfurar.

O consultor independente dinamarquês em política de segurança Jacob Kaarsbo disse que os comentários de Trump poderiam ser vistos como um sinal de que seu desejo de controlar a Groenlândia permanece inalterado.

“É extremamente perigoso considerar esse acordo entre o governo Trump e a Dinamarca como algo que tenha alterado as intenções de Trump”, declarou.

O acordo de 10 páginas entre EUA, Dinamarca e Groenlândia abriu caminho para duas novas bases militares e para o sistema de defesa antimísseis “Domo de Ouro” de Trump, ao mesmo tempo em que reafirmou a soberania dinamarquesa e o direito dos groenlandeses à autodeterminação.

“Qualquer ataque futuro aos Estados Unidos terá que passar pela Groenlândia, onde nossa Defesa derrubará rotineiramente drones, mísseis ou qualquer outra forma de arma ainda nem sequer concebida”, disse Trump em postagem hoje.

“Isso nos dá tempo, localização e linha de visão como em nenhum outro lugar do mundo!”, acrescentou.

*É proibida a reprodução deste conteúdo.

Presidente moçambicano promete resposta a droga nas escolas

14 October 2026 at 12:16
Chefe de Estado garante que Governo não vai tolerar tráfico de droga em ambiente escolar. "Que país seremos nós se à porta das nossas escolas se vende a morte embrulhada em papel de rebuçado?".

© JOSÉ JECO/LUSA

Daniel Chapo acrescentou que as autoridades têm registado um aumento do consumo de drogas, incluindo entre menores de idade

Metano, caro energia e bilancio Ue, Meloni avvisa: “Firmeremo solo quando sarà giusto per l’Italia”

14 October 2026 at 11:11

Il caro energia torna al centro dell’agenda economica del Governo. Giorgia Meloni ha infatti indicato nel costo dell’energia “la questione che oggi pesa più di tutto sulla nostra economia e sulla competitività delle imprese”.

Lo ha fatto nel corso delle comunicazioni rese al Senato, in vista del Consiglio europeo del 15 e 16 ottobre. Ha spiegato la necessità di “una risposta coordinata e rapida” su scala continentale, perché “nessuno può rispondere efficacemente da solo”.

Accanto al dossier energia, la premier ha toccato altri due nodi economici molto delicati:

  • trattativa sul prossimo bilancio pluriennale dell’Unione europea;
  • calendario dei rimborsi del debito legato al Next Generation Eu (strumento da cui dipende anche il Piano nazionale di ripresa e resilienza).

Stretta sul metano: rinvio di un anno

Parlando di regole energetiche, la premier ha voluto rivendicate esplicitamente un traguardo raggiunto in campo europeo:

Ci sono sviluppi anche sul regolamento Ue sul metano. (…) Le nuove prescrizioni previste per gli importatori rischierebbero di restringere ulteriormente l’offerta disponibile e re nuove pressioni sui prezzi. Per questo abbiamo chiesto una sospensione temporanea di alcuni obblighi.

Meloni ha rivendicato il risultato come un successo italiano, ricordando quanto sembrasse difficile far avanzare la proposta. Ora però gli scenari sono diversi e “la Commissione europea ha deciso di rinviare di un anno l’entrata in vigore del regolamento”.

Di fatto da Bruxelles hanno annunciato la volontà di far slittare dal 2027 al 2028 gli obblighi legati alle importazioni di gas, petrolio e carbone, così da “evitare ulteriori pressioni sulla sicurezza dell’approvvigionamento”. Il provvedimento, però, non è ancora definitivo. La proposta dovrà essere approvata formalmente dal Parlamento europeo e dagli Stati membri.

Caro energia, le richieste dell’Italia

C’è una chiara necessità di rivedere delle regole europee, ha spiegato Meloni. Sono state infatti pensate in un contesto completamente diverso da quello attuale, ha ribadito. Se mantenute così come sono, rischiano “di aggravare gli effetti delle crisi che stiamo attraversando”.

Sul fronte economico il discorso è stato molto chiaro:

Le nostre imprese affrontano oggi una concorrenza globale sempre più aggressiva, e ogni costo in più che l’Europa impone a sé stessa è un vantaggio che regala ai suoi concorrenti.

La richiesta portata al tavolo del Consiglio è quindi duplice:

  • intervento comune sui prezzi dell’energia;
  • semplificazione normativa che non penalizzi il sistema produttivo europeo.

Bilancio europeo, l’Italia non firma

Il passaggio più netto del suo intervento riguarda però il bilancio europeo, ovvero il prossimo Quadro finanziario pluriennale:

La presidenza irlandese e le istituzioni europee hanno indicato l’obiettivo di arrivare a un accordo entro la fine dell’anno. Noi non siamo contrari per principio. (…) Non firmeremo però un accordo non vantaggioso per rispettare una data.

Di fatto l’intesa ci sarà, ma solo “quando sarà giusto per l’Italia”. Tracciati due confini ben chiari. Da un lato l’Italia non accetterà un bilancio che ridimensioni la Politica agricola comune, la Pesca e la Coesione. Dall’altro, invece, sulle nuove risorse proprie proposte dalla Commissione il Governo ha “diverse riserve”. Si punta ad “alleggerire per quanto possibile il peso sui bilanci nazionali, senza nuove tasse”.

Pnrr e Next Generation Eu: rimborsi più graduali

Sul fronte debito comune, la premier ha chiesto di “ragionare anche su un rimborso più graduale” del Next Generation Eu (lo strumento che ha finanziato il Pnrr). È fondamentale evitare che i rimborso “comprimano le altre politiche” europee, “proprio quando serve investire di più”.

Di fatto la proposta italiana è quella di diluire nel tempo la restituzione per non sottrarre spazio agli investimenti nazionali. Meloni si è inoltre detta aperta alle discussioni in merito, senza chiudere le porte a nuove forme di finanziamento comune, purché non si traducano in un peso ulteriore sui conti italiani.

Extra gettito Iva

Sul fronte meramente interno, Meloni ha indicato nell’extra gettito Iva una leva da destinare a famiglie e imprese. Un passaggio ponte che collega il suo lungo discorso europeo alla legge di Bilancio in lavorazione.

Di fatto le risorse disponibili per misure come il taglio dell’Irpef dipenderanno anche dai margini negoziati a Bruxelles, oltre che dall’andamento delle entrate. Tutto ciò viene sottolineato in una fase cruciale, con l’esecutivo alle prese con coperture limitate e un quadro macroeconomico che resta sotto osservazione.

Ukrainian soldier goes on trial over sabotage of Nord Stream gas pipelines

14 October 2026 at 10:24

Special forces officer Serhii Kuznetsov denies involvement in the 2022 blasts that left pipelines badly damaged

A Ukrainian soldier has gone on trial in Hamburg accused of taking part in one of the most brazen acts of sabotage in postwar European history – the 2022 attack on the Nord Stream gas pipelines between Russia and Germany.

Serhii Kuznetsov, a special forces officer from the Ukrainian military, is accused by prosecutors of being an accomplice to war crimes by attacking civilian infrastructure, causing an explosion, damaging property and disrupting public services.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: Thilo Schmülgen/Reuters

© Photograph: Thilo Schmülgen/Reuters

© Photograph: Thilo Schmülgen/Reuters

Riscaldare casa in modo economico, quale costa di meno tra pellet e gas: confronto prezzi

14 October 2026 at 06:00

L’inizio dell’inverno 2026 mette gli italiani di fronte alla domanda su come riscaldare le proprie abitazioni nella maniera più economica ed efficiente possibile. Dopotutto il riscaldamento della casa causa un enorme impatto sul consumo di energia e quindi sui costi in bolletta, soprattutto se si utilizzano sistemi vecchi da aggiornare. Qual è quindi il sistema di riscaldamento più economico?

Qual è il riscaldamento più economico oggi?

Un’alternativa più economica alla caldaia a gas è la stufa a legna o a pellet, quindi una caldaia a biomassa. La convenienza dipende soprattutto dal costo delle materie prime che sono facilmente reperibili, soprattutto se si possiede una casa in montagna. Lo svantaggio in molti casi è la manutenzione, che ha un costo più elevato.

Quali sono le biomasse?

Quali sono gli altri combustibili da biomassa? Facciamo riferimento alle fitomasse, ovvero le biomasse provenienti da piante come:

  • legna;
  • pellet;
  • cippato;
  • noccioline;
  • sansa;
  • segatura.

Ma dentro si trovano anche sottoprodotti agricoli come paglia e ramaglie, oppure i residui dell’industria alimentare locale come la vinaccia, la sansa e l’agri-pellet.

Ognuna di queste ha caratteristiche specifiche, che vanno dall’efficienza al basso costo, fino alla semplificazione dello stoccaggio o all’assenza di impurità.

Riscaldare l’abitazione con le biomasse può essere più o meno vantaggioso a seconda di quale si utilizza, dal cippato di legno alla legna da ardere, fino al pellet. La soluzione più economica, grazie a una filiera corta e alla disponibilità locale che riduce i costi di trasporto o approvvigionamento, è il cippato di legno a 32 euro al megawattora, la metà della legna da ardere che invece si stabilizza a 67 euro circa al megawattora.

Quanto si risparmia con il pellet rispetto al gas?

Le tensioni geopolitiche internazionali hanno spinto in alto i prezzi dell’energia e le biomasse legnose per il riscaldamento si confermano per il 2026-2027 le soluzioni più stabili, economiche e sostenibili.

Anche se da gennaio 2026 il pellet sta registrando una crescita del 27% rispetto all’anno precedente, resta ancora il più competitivo se messo a confronto con il costo dell’energia per megawattora. Mettendo a confronto i dati ARERA e i prezzi del pellet certificato ENplus A1:

Combustibile Unità di Misura Costo Medio (Ottobre 2026) Costo Termico (€/MWh) Risparmio stimato vs Metano
Legna da Ardere Ton / Quintale ~18 – 22 € / q.le 60 – 67 € fino al 45%
Pellet (ENplus A1) Sacco 15 kg ~7,10 – 7,30 € / sacco 96 – 99 € fino al 18%
Gas Metano Smc ~1,05 – 1,15 € / Smc 110 – 115 € Riferimento
GPL Litro ~1,15 – 1,25 € / Litro 135 – 145 € Più caro del Metano (+20%)
Gasolio Riscaldamento Litro ~1,40 – 1,50 € / Litro 140 – 150 € Più caro del Metano (+30%)

Quale consuma di più: la stufa a pellet o il condizionatore?

Con lo stesso principio si può rispondere alla domanda su quale consumi di più tra stufa a pellet e condizionatore. Da una parte abbiamo l’utilizzo di un elettrodomestico a energia elettrica, che subisce gli effetti della vulnerabilità internazionale rispetto agli aumenti di prezzo dati dall’instabilità in Medio Oriente; dall’altra abbiamo il prezzo delle biomasse, piuttosto stabile nel tempo, che utilizza risorse locali e quindi è indipendente dalle importazioni.

I dati dell’Associazione Italiana Energie Agroforestali ci raccontano che l’Italia dispone di un grande patrimonio forestale, di oltre 11 milioni di ettari su circa il 40% del territorio. Si tratta di un potenziale definito “poco sfruttato” perché utilizzato tra il 18% e il 37% rispetto a una media europea del 73%.

Con le biomasse si risparmia sul gas e si toglie la propria abitazione dal sistema di dipendenza energetica. A ricordarlo è il presidente dell’associazione, Marco Bussone.

Quale scegliere?

È difficile dare una risposta univoca, perché per diversi tipi di impianti di riscaldamento serve un investimento iniziale piuttosto elevato. Certo, si può rientrare dalla spesa nel corso del tempo, ma questo non risponde direttamente a cosa convenga per l’inverno 2026-2027 che ormai è alle porte. Per esempio, un primo modo per risparmiare sul riscaldamento è passare da una vecchia caldaia a gasolio a una a metano. Si può poi puntare sulle pompe di calore, ma senza fotovoltaico non portano a risparmiare così tanto.

Il riscaldamento domestico sta andando verso un’integrazione tra tecnologie, in particolare in un edificio efficiente, ovvero con cappotto termico e adeguatamente isolato, al quale si aggiunge l’energia elettrica prodotta da pannelli fotovoltaici e una pompa di calore per costruire un unico sistema.

Per ottenere questo risultato ci sono dei bonus da poter utilizzare, come il “Conto Termico“, cioè il contributo diretto erogato dal Gestore dei Servizi Energetici per chi sostituisce un vecchio impianto di riscaldamento con un moderno impianto a pellet o legna. Oppure si può guardare agli interventi di riqualificazione energetica o ristrutturazione edilizia con Ecobonus e Bonus Casa.

Rachel: casas em colapso e recorde de chuva em Vegas

12 October 2026 at 21:00
Ondas até 2,7 metros e marés 49 cm acima do previsto em Long Beach; 27,4 mm de chuva em Las Vegas, novo máximo diário. Tudo por culpa dos restos da Rachel.

© Getty Images

As casas à beira da praia de Long Beach cedem ao mar

Listen: Should we be worried about Europe’s level of gas reserves?

12 October 2026 at 09:33

Production: By Europod, in co-production with Sphera Network.

EUobserver is proud to have an editorial partnership with Europod to co-publish the podcast series “Briefed” hosted by Léa Marchal. The podcast is available on all major platforms.

Find the full transcript below: 

European gas storage levels are unusually low for this time of year, reaching their lowest autumn level since 2011.

With Russian gas imports set to end in 2027, could Europe face a tougher challenge in the months ahead? 

First, how do Europe’s gas reserves work? EU countries fill underground gas storage sites during spring and summer, when demand is lower, and draw on these stocks during the winter, when heating pushes consumption up.

Since 2022, the EU has required member states to ensure their gas storage facilities reach 90 percent of capacity by a deadline between 1 October and 1 December. That helps secure supplies ahead of winter.

But this year, stocks are well below that target, at just over 70 percent in early October. They still have time to rise before the deadline, but the situation is attracting attention.

Does that mean Europeans are at risk of running out of gas this winter? According to the European Commission, no. It acknowledges that storage levels are low compared with previous years, but says the EU’s gas system should still be flexible enough to meet demand this winter.

That said, a colder or longer winter than expected, or disruptions to supplies in other parts of the world, could put additional pressure on the market. Especially at a time when the EU is preparing to phase out Russian gas imports in 2027.

The EU has adopted a gradual ban, with transitional arrangements for existing long-term contracts.

Russian liquefied natural gas, or LNG, is due to be phased out completely from January 2027 only. Russian gas delivered by pipeline will follow later, with the deadline set for the end of September 2027.

And Russian gas still accounted for around 12 percent of EU gas demand through May 2026. Imports even increased in the first months of this year compared with the same period in 2025, amid disruptions to energy flows linked to the war in the Middle East.

So, from January, Europe will lose one source of supply.  Which means Europe should try and reduce its gas consumption.

But it’s easier said than done, particularly as winter approaches. Heating needs depend heavily on temperatures, and households cannot simply stop heating their homes.

Still, Europe has shown in the past that consumption can fall significantly. After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the European Commission called on member states to reduce their gas demand by 15 percent. 

And they succeeded: their gas demand fell of around 18 percent, compared with the previous five-year average. A few months ago, following the escalation of the war in the Middle East, the Jacques Delors Institute recommended reviving efforts to reduce gas demand.

That being said, the reduction achieved in 2022 was partly helped by a mild winter and greater use of alternative energy sources, including coal and nuclear power.

Those options may help again, but they come with limitations. Much will depend on the weather and how long the winter lasts.

Which doesn’t mean Europe should not call for lowering the demand and accelerate the deployment of renewable energy.

EU imports record 12.18 million tons of Russian Arctic LNG in nine months, 9.5% more than year earlier — research group

10 October 2026 at 23:32

yamburg gas field in the yamalo-nenets ao in russia

Europe keeps buying record amounts of Russian gas even as it plans to punish its war machine against Ukraine. The EU ports took in a record 12.18 million tons of Russian liquefied natural gas from January to September, 9.5% more than in the same period of 2025, according to a study by the German group Urgewald based on Kpler tracking data.

Europe spent about 7.88 billion euros on that Russian gas in nine months, revenue that helps fund a war Russia wages with daily missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian cities. The flow continues even as the EU prepares its largest-ever package of sanctions against Russia’s military industry.

The gas comes from Russia’s Yamal project, which sent 167 cargoes to EU ports over the nine months, roughly one every 1.6 days. Europe took 85% of the project’s recorded deliveries by volume, remaining by far its biggest market, Urgewald reports.

Europe’s share grew even as Yamal’s worldwide deliveries fell 1.3%, so the EU absorbed a larger slice of Russia’s Arctic output. In September alone, EU ports received 792,440 tons worth an estimated 818 million euros, nearly three-quarters of it going to France.

Washington could pull the plug by 18 October

The imports run up against a looming US decision. The Trump administration has until 18 October to complete its first review under the Lindsey Graham sanctions act, signed into law on 18 September, which allows Washington to sanction this gas trade at any time, the group notes.

However, after the US allowed Russian diesel to enter the US and global market, the decision will likely remain stalled.

Originally, the law covered Yamal’s leadership, foreign vessels that knowingly carried Russian LNG, and foreign ports that serviced US-sanctioned ships. Yamal depends on specialized Arc7 ice-class tankers and on nearby European ports where they can unload and quickly return, so closing that route would make the Arctic trade far harder to sustain.

Europe’s own ban is still months away

The EU’s measures so far have barely dented the trade. A ban on short-term LNG contracts took effect in April and has had no visible effect, while the full import ban under long-term contracts only starts on 1 January 2027, Urgewald says.

Every month of largely uninterrupted trade means more revenue for Russia while Ukraine suffers daily attacks, sanction campaigner Sebastian Rötters says. The next EU package should close the remaining loopholes, above all those keeping the Arc7 tanker fleet running.

Hurricane Isaias Strengthens Into Major Category 3 Storm Ahead of Gulf Coast Landfall

9 October 2026 at 14:35
Hurricane Isaias strengthened into a major Category 3 hurricane Friday morning, with sustained winds reaching 120 mph as the storm approached the northern Gulf Coast, threatening life-threatening storm surge and...

Equinor Brings Shell Into $14 Billion Bay du Nord Project

9 October 2026 at 14:25
Shell has agreed to acquire a 30% stake in Equinor’s Bay du Nord offshore oil project in Canada, bringing a new partner into the estimated C$14 billion development as it...

Hurricane Isaias Shuts Down Nearly Two-Thirds of Gulf Oil Production

8 October 2026 at 18:33
Nearly two-thirds of U.S. Gulf of Mexico oil production has been shut down as Hurricane Isaias strengthens ahead of an expected landfall along the northern Gulf Coast, prompting widespread evacuations...

Wie realistisch ist Ungarns neues Vorhaben, bis 2027 auf russisches Gas zu verzichten?

8 October 2026 at 07:10
Europa hat bekanntlich zu wenig Gas und dürfte im nächsten Winter ein Energieproblem bekommen. Trotzdem will die EU-Kommission 2027 komplett auf russisches Gas verzichten. Ungarn hat sich unter Orban und auch in den ersten Monaten der Regierung Magyar gegen eine schnelle Absage an russisches Gas gewehrt, nun aber hat der ungarische Energieminister in einem Interview […]

L’Europe revient au charbon alors que les prix du gaz explosent

By: A A
7 October 2026 at 17:05

La crise énergétique européenne n’est pas terminée.

La crise énergétique européenne n’est pas terminée. Les prix du gaz restent obstinément élevés sur tout le continent alors que les Européens affrontent un long hiver.

En réponse à une crise énergétique découlant de la dépendance continue de l’Europe aux importations de gaz naturel liquéfié, sur fond de volatilité géopolitique mondiale persistante, les dirigeants européens poussent à diversifier le mix énergétique du bloc. Si cela signifie que l’Europe développe rapidement ses capacités en énergies renouvelables, cela marque aussi un retour significatif au combustible fossile le plus polluant du monde – le charbon.

Plus tôt cette année, lorsque les États-Unis et Israël ont lancé une offensive en Iran, provoquant ainsi la perturbation d’un cinquième des échanges mondiaux de pétrole et de gaz, l’Europe s’est réveillée pour réaliser qu’elle s’était laissée aller, en somnambule, à une nouvelle crise énergétique – sa troisième en seulement quatre ans. « Nous avions juré d’apprendre. Nous avions promis que les choses changeraient, mais nous voilà », a récemment déclaré un « diplomate européen très frustré », cité anonymement par la BBC.

« Au lieu de se concentrer sur des plans à long terme indispensables – sur la manière de rendre l’Europe plus compétitive dans ce monde de plus en plus instable, les premiers ministres et présidents [européens] sont maintenant pris de panique face aux prix [de l’énergie], inquiets des électeurs en colère et à la recherche de solutions à court terme », poursuit la source. « Exactement comme lors de la crise après l’invasion à grande échelle de l’Ukraine par la Russie. Conflit différent. Mêmes divisions européennes ; mêmes dilemmes énergétiques. Nous ne pouvons pas continuer à tourner en rond comme ça. Il va falloir que quelque chose cède. »

Aujourd’hui, six mois après le déclenchement de la guerre en Iran et la fermeture initiale du détroit d’Ormuz, l’Europe continue d’en subir les conséquences, les prix du gaz restant brutalement élevés. Rien que ce mois-ci, les prix du gaz ont atteint leur plus haut niveau en trois ans, dépassant les 80 € (90,98 $) par mégawattheure.

Les prix sont si élevés, en fait, que l’électricité produite au charbon est devenue moins chère que celle produite au gaz en Europe pour la première fois depuis des années. Cela a poussé de nombreux pays européens, et en particulier la plus grande économie de l’Union européenne, l’Allemagne, à revenir au charbon. Et, inquiétant, les experts affirment que cette tendance se poursuivra pendant des années encore.

« Le charbon devrait rester moins cher que le gaz pour la production d’électricité jusqu’à l’année prochaine, et potentiellement jusqu’en mars 2028 », rapportait Reuters plus tôt cette semaine, citant une conversation avec Marta Wroniszewska, analyste chez Veyt. « Les prix du gaz à plus long terme indiquent que les traders s’attendent à ce que les contraintes d’approvisionnement persistent. »

Cependant, le potentiel de croissance du charbon en Europe comporte des limites notables. Des années de politiques visant à réduire puis à éliminer progressivement le charbon ont laissé au continent beaucoup moins de centrales à charbon qu’auparavant. En 1990, l’Union européenne tirait plus d’un tiers de sa production d’électricité du charbon. En 2025, cette part était tombée à seulement 9,2 %, selon les données d’Eurostat. Ainsi, même si les centrales à charbon restantes en Europe bénéficieront d’une aubaine grâce aux prix actuels du gaz, le potentiel de rebond du charbon dans la région a un plafond.

Hors d’Europe, cependant, c’est une autre histoire. À l’échelle mondiale, le charbon reste la plus grande source unique de production d’électricité. Et tandis que l’Europe ferme ses capacités à charbon, de nombreuses économies émergentes continuent de développer les leurs, avec une croissance particulièrement forte aux Philippines, en Indonésie et dans d’autres pays en développement rapide d’Asie. Ce n’est pas un hasard si c’est aussi la région la plus durement touchée par la fermeture du détroit d’Ormuz.

Si le charbon est bon marché, abondant et considéré comme un outil essentiel pour permettre le développement économique des pays pauvres, la prolongation continue du règne du charbon présente des compromis qui l’emportent largement sur les bénéfices. Le charbon est le principal moteur du réchauffement climatique, responsable d’environ 40 % de toutes les émissions de gaz à effet de serre. Cependant, tout n’est pas négatif – le retour du charbon se produit en parallèle d’une augmentation mondiale majeure des ressources en énergie propre. De plus en plus, les énergies renouvelables sont adoptées pour leur rôle dans un avenir plus sûr sur le plan énergétique, et sont considérées comme un rempart essentiel contre la prochaine crise énergétique mondiale.

Contrairement au gaz naturel, au pétrole et au charbon, « l’éolien et le solaire ne peuvent pas être soumis à un embargo, bloqués ou coupés par une puissance étrangère », écrivait David Frykman, associé général du groupe de capital-risque basé à Stockholm Norrsken, dans une tribune publiée par Fortune plus tôt cette année. « Chaque térawattheure de production renouvelable nationale est un térawattheure qu’aucun adversaire ne peut transformer en arme. »

Europe returns to coal as gas prices explode

By: A A
7 October 2026 at 11:00

Europe’s energy crisis isn’t over.

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Europe’s energy crisis isn’t over. Gas prices remain stubbornly high across the continent as Europeans confront a long winter.

In response to an energy crisis stemming from Europe’s continued reliance on imported liquefied natural gas against the backdrop of ongoing global geopolitical volatility, Europe’s leaders are pushing to diversify the bloc’s energy mix. While this means that Europe is rapidly expanding its renewable energy capacity, it also marks a significant return to the world’s dirtiest fossil fuel – coal.

Earlier this year, when the United States and Israel began an offensive in Iran and thereby instigated the disruption of one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas trades, Europe awakened to realize that it had sleepwalked into yet another energy crisis – its third in just four years. “We swore we’d learn. We promised things would change, but here we are,” a ‘highly frustrated European diplomat’ was recently (anonymously) quoted by the BBC.

“Instead of concentrating on much-needed long-term plans – about how to make Europe more competitive in this increasingly volatile world, [European] prime ministers and presidents are now in a panic over [energy] prices, worried about angry voters and scrambling for short-term solutions,” the source continued. “Just like the crisis after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Different conflict. Same European divisions; same dilemmas over energy. We can’t keep going round in these circles. Something’s got to give.”

Now, half a year after the outbreak of the war in Iran and the initial closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Europe is still grappling with the fallout as gas prices remain brutally high. Just this month, gas prices hit their highest mark in three years, soaring above €80 ($90.98) per megawatt hour.

Prices are so high, in fact, that coal-fired power has become cheaper than gas-fired power in Europe for the first time in years. This has pushed many European nations, and especially the European Union’s largest economy, Germany, back to coal. And, worryingly, experts contend that that trend will continue for years to come.

“Coal is expected to remain cheaper than gas for power generation through next year and potentially until March 2028,” Reuters reported earlier this week, based on a conversation with Marta Wroniszewska, an analyst at Veyt. “Longer-dated gas prices indicate traders expect supply constraints to persist.”

However, there are notable limits to coal’s growth potential in Europe. Years of policy aimed at phasing down and phasing out coal have left the continent with dramatically fewer coal-fired power plants than it had previously. In 1990, the European Union derived more than a third of its electricity production from coal. By 2025, that share had fallen to just 9.2 percent, according to data from Eurostat. So while Europe’s remaining coal plants will receive a windfall from the current gas prices, there is a ceiling to coal’s potential rebound in the region.

Outside of Europe, however, it’s a different story. Globally, coal is still the single-biggest source of power production. And while Europe is shutting down its coal-fired capacity, many emerging economies are continuing to build theirs up, with particularly strong growth from the Philippines, Indonesia, and other rapidly developing countries across Asia. Not coincidentally, this was also the region hit hardest by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

While coal is cheap, abundant, and seen as a critical tool for enabling economic development in poor countries, the continuously extending timeline of coal’s reign presents trade-offs that far outweigh the benefits. Coal is the single largest driver of global warming, responsible for about 40 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions. However, it’s not all bad news – coal’s comeback is happening in tandem with a major global increase in clean energy resources. Increasingly, renewable energies are being adopted for their role in a more energy-secure future, and are seen as a critical buffer against the next global energy crisis.

Unlike natural gas, oil, and coal, “Wind and solar cannot be embargoed, blockaded, or shut off by a foreign power,” David Frykman, General Partner at Stockholm-based venture capital group Norrsken, wrote in an op-ed for Fortune earlier this year. “Every terawatt-hour of domestic renewable generation is a terawatt-hour that no adversary can weaponize.”

Von der Leyen Offers Extra Year on EU Methane Rules as Energy Costs Bite

7 October 2026 at 08:46

The European Commission is preparing to give fossil-fuel exporters another year of flexibility under the EU’s methane regime as Brussels responds to high energy prices, pressure on European refineries and concerns over security of supply.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has announced an additional year of flexibility for energy exporters facing new EU methane requirements, marking the latest adjustment to climate legislation as Brussels attempts to contain rising energy costs.

Addressing the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Tuesday, von der Leyen said Europe remained exposed to high energy prices and volatile international fossil-fuel markets and confirmed that exporters would receive “one more year” to prepare for the methane rules.

She also announced a strategic dialogue with the European refining sector aimed at reducing costs and protecting supplies, according to the Commission’s published remarks.

The announcement affects a regulation that has increasingly become an energy-security issue rather than solely an emissions policy.

The EU’s Methane Regulation, adopted in 2024, introduced progressively stricter requirements for companies supplying oil, natural gas and coal to the European market. Importers have already been required to provide information about the origin of fuel and the systems used to measure and reduce methane emissions.

A more demanding stage was due from January 2027. Importers would have to demonstrate that fuel supplied under contracts concluded or renewed since August 2024 came from producers operating monitoring, reporting and verification systems equivalent to EU standards.

The rules are technically complex because European importers do not always buy directly from producers. Gas and oil may pass through traders, hubs, blending systems and several contractual relationships before reaching Europe.

The Commission’s own guidance for importers acknowledges those difficulties, particularly where companies must trace production information through complicated supply chains.

EU Today highlighted the problem in July, when an International Energy Agency assessment raised concerns that the rules could restrict Europe’s available oil supply. The dispute has since intensified because European fuel markets have become considerably tighter.

That pressure can also be seen in the cost of imported energy. EU Today reported last month that the value of EU petroleum imports had risen by 55.8 per cent in the second quarter of 2026 even though the physical volume purchased increased by only 1.2 per cent.

Von der Leyen’s intervention therefore comes against a different market background from the one in which the methane legislation was originally adopted.

The Commission has not abandoned its objective of reducing methane emissions from fossil-fuel production. Methane remains one of the most powerful greenhouse gases, and the regulation is intended to use the size of the European energy market to influence production standards outside the EU.

Instead, Brussels is attempting to adjust implementation so that regulatory requirements do not further restrict supply at a time of elevated energy prices.

The precise legal form of the additional year of flexibility has not yet been detailed in von der Leyen’s announcement. Existing requirements remain contained in Regulation (EU) 2024/1787, meaning that changes to deadlines or enforcement will have to be translated into the appropriate legal or administrative measures.

The Commission had already moved towards greater flexibility earlier this year. In July it issued recommendations designed to clarify contractual arrangements and advised national authorities on the application of penalties to importers while security-of-supply concerns persisted.

The broader problem is European energy competitiveness.

Von der Leyen told Parliament that Brussels intends to begin a strategic dialogue with refineries. European refining capacity has contracted over the longer term, leaving the continent more dependent on imported diesel and other finished petroleum products when individual plants close or external supply routes are disrupted.

The Commission is also expected to propose measures aimed at increasing electricity’s share of European energy consumption as part of its attempt to reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels.

The latest methane adjustment therefore fits a wider shift in Brussels. Climate targets remain formally intact, but implementation is increasingly being examined alongside energy prices, industrial competitiveness and the security of physical supplies.

The extra year gives exporters additional time. It also gives the Commission another year to resolve a question that has become much more urgent in 2026: how far Europe can tighten conditions on imported energy while remaining heavily dependent on those imports.

Cristiano Ronaldo não ganhou sozinho: por que o futebol exige respeito pelos colegas

6 October 2026 at 12:21
AF! Ninguém vence sozinho: os prémios de Cristiano Ronaldo e o respeito pelo coletivo Cristiano Ronaldo não ganhou nada disso sozinho — e é exatamente por isso que faz todo o sentido falar de respeito pelos colegas. No futebol, os prémios individuais reconhecem quem se destacou, mas só existem porque há uma equipa, um sistema […]

Carbon Brief’s Con Trick

6 October 2026 at 07:00

Carbon Brief claims that wind and solar power saved the UK from gas imports worth £5.9bn during the Hormuz crisis. Not mentioned, says Paul Homewood, is that the wind and solar power cost more.

The post Carbon Brief’s Con Trick appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

Opinion: Oil’s New Problem Isn’t Supply. It’s Logistics

5 October 2026 at 17:13
Middle East crude exports recently climbed to their highest levels since the start of the Iran war as more Gulf producers resume transit through the Strait of Hormuz – despite the continued threat of Iranian attacks. Yet oil prices remain stubbornly elevated, suggesting logistical problems are proving as disruptive as outright supply losses.

Russland ist schuld, der Markt ist schuld – nur die Bundesregierung nie

By: A A
5 October 2026 at 06:03

Rekord-Spritpreise, Geheimdienst-Zugriff auf Krankenakten, Millionen für die NGO eines CDU-Abgeordneten – und immer derselbe Reflex: Verantwortung liegt stets woanders.

Es gibt Regierungspressekonferenzen, die sich um ein Thema drehen, und solche, die sich um ein Prinzip drehen. Die Sitzung vom Montag gehörte in die zweite Kategorie. Das Prinzip lautete: Verantwortung liegt stets anderswo – bei globalen Märkten, bei Moskau, beim Bundeskartellamt, bei der Europäischen Kommission, bei der gesamtwirtschaftlichen Lage.

Das Auswärtige Amt eröffnete mit der Reise des Außenministers nach München und Genf und nutzte die Gelegenheit für ein Bekenntnis zur Arbeit der Goethe-Institute in fast hundert Ländern. Die Schließung der Institute in Russland stellte die Sprecherin dabei als Bruch einer kulturellen Brücke dar, der in einem „sehr repressiven Raum“ geschlagen worden sei.

Nicht nur hier öffnete sich unmittelbar ein Raum für Nachfragen.

Schließung der Goethe-Institute: Reaktion ohne Ursache

Denn was in dieser Darstellung fehlte, war der Anlass. Diese Zeitung fragte nach, weshalb das Ministerium den Vorgang so präsentiere, als sei er einseitig von russischer Seite ausgegangen – obwohl ihm die Schließung des Russischen Hauses in Berlin vorausgegangen war. Die Antwort blieb bei der Formel, die Darstellung entspreche den Tatsachen; die russische Reaktion sei „ungerechtfertigt“, die deutschen Schritte hingegen „notwendig und maßvoll“ gewesen.

Damit bestätigte die Sprecherin implizit genau das, was sie zuvor nicht erwähnt hatte: dass es sich um eine Reaktion handelte. Auf die Nachfrage, ob das Amt von der Reziprozität überrascht worden sei, folgte keine Antwort, sondern eine Zurückweisung der Schlussfolgerung. Ob die Konsequenz antizipiert wurde, blieb offen – eine für die Bewertung der eigenen Entscheidung nicht unerhebliche Frage.

Explodierende Spritpreise: Ursachen ohne Urheber

Der zweite Schwerpunkt war der Rekordanstieg bei Diesel und Benzin. Der Regierungssprecher führte ihn auf die „Zuspitzung der Situation im Nahen Osten“, Angriffe auf Ölpipelines und die Blockade von Seewegen zurück – ausdrücklich nicht auf Entscheidungen der Bundesregierung.

Auf die Frage dieser Zeitung, welche Länder und Akteure hinter dieser Zuspitzung stehen und wen die Bundesregierung als Hauptverantwortliche benennt, verweigerte der Sprecher die Auskunft: Es sei „nicht mein Job, irgendwelche Verantwortlichkeiten zu verteilen“. Bemerkenswert ist die Selektivität dieser Zurückhaltung. In derselben Pressekonferenz benannte derselbe Sprecher Russland ausdrücklich als Urheber gezielter Angriffe auf das ukrainische Eisenbahnnetz. Die Zuschreibung von Verantwortung ist offenbar keine Frage des Amtsverständnisses, sondern der geografischen Richtung.

Auch die zweite Frage dieser Zeitung blieb faktisch unbeantwortet: Warum fallen die Preissteigerungen in Deutschland deutlich stärker aus als in den Nachbarstaaten? Das Wirtschaftsministerium verwies auf unterschiedliche Steuersysteme und Maßnahmen – ohne zu erläutern, warum Deutschland jene Maßnahmen, die 23 von 27 EU-Staaten ergriffen haben, nicht ergreift. Ein Kollege hielt den Vergleich mit Polen entgegen: rund 50 Cent Differenz pro Liter.

Hier wurde der zentrale Widerspruch der Sitzung sichtbar. Wenn die Preise, wie der Regierungssprecher betont, ausschließlich globalen Marktkräften folgen, lässt sich die erhebliche Spreizung innerhalb des europäischen Binnenmarktes schwerlich erklären. Wenn sie hingegen maßgeblich von nationalen Steuer- und Abgabenstrukturen abhängt – wie das Wirtschaftsministerium einräumt –, ist die Preisbildung sehr wohl politisch gestaltbar.

Das Finanzministerium löste dieses Dilemma rhetorisch, indem es den Schwarzen Peter an die Mineralölkonzerne weiterreichte: Von „Abzocke“ und „Krisenprofiten“ war die Rede. Das Instrument der Wahl ist eine europäische Übergewinnsteuer, für die sich der Minister beim Ecofin einsetzen will. Auf die Frage, warum keine nationale Lösung erfolge, hieß es, man wolle „kein komplexes juristisches Neuland betreten“. Dass ein Instrument, das eine Einigung aller Mitgliedstaaten und einen Kommissionsvorschlag voraussetzt, schneller wirkt als eine nationale Maßnahme, erschließt sich nicht ohne Weiteres. Der Direktauszahlungsmechanismus, über den Entlastungen ausgezahlt werden könnten, erreicht derzeit ohnehin nur 19 Prozent der Steuerpflichtigen.

Geheimdienste und das Arztgeheimnis: Anwälte bleiben tabu, Therapiegespräche nicht

Ein von der übrigen Presse kaum beachteter Aspekt der geplanten Reform des Nachrichtendienstrechts betrifft das ärztliche und psychotherapeutische Berufsgeheimnis. Während das Mandantenverhältnis bei Anwälten absolut geschützt werden soll, gilt für Ärzte und Psychotherapeuten lediglich eine Abwägungslösung – Verfassungsschutz und BND könnten künftig legal auf Krankenakten und vertrauliche Therapiegespräche zugreifen.

Auf die Frage dieser Zeitung nach dem sachlichen und verfassungsrechtlichen Grund dieser Ungleichbehandlung antwortete das Innenministerium mit drei Argumenten, die in unterschiedliche Richtungen weisen. Erstens: Die Regelung entspreche bestehenden Vorschriften der Strafprozessordnung und sei „nichts Neues“. Zweitens: Psychotherapeuten seien ohnehin „kein primäres Aufklärungsziel“, die Regelung habe daher „höchstwahrscheinlich nicht besonders viel Relevanz“. Drittens: Im Einzelfall werde zwischen Aufklärungsinteresse und Berufsgeheimnis abgewogen.

Eine Begründung für die Ungleichbehandlung enthält keines dieser Argumente. Der Verweis auf die Strafprozessordnung erklärt nicht, warum der Gesetzgeber die dortige Systematik auf Nachrichtendienste überträgt, die ohne Tatverdacht und ohne richterliche Anordnung im Einzelfall operieren. Und das Argument der geringen praktischen Relevanz wirft die naheliegende Gegenfrage auf, warum eine Befugnis geschaffen wird, die man kaum zu nutzen gedenkt.

Die Nachfrage dieser Zeitung, ob der Entwurf den Zugriff auf Praxisverwaltungssysteme und die elektronische Patientenakte eindeutig ausschließt, blieb unbeantwortet. Solange diese Frage offen ist, steht die Empfehlung der ePA als geschützter Raum für hochsensible Gesundheitsdaten auf tönernen Füßen.

KI: Paradigmenwechsel mit Selbstbeschränkung

Vergleichsweise auskunftsfreudig zeigte sich das Digitalministerium beim Thema Künstliche Intelligenz. Man nehme die Warnungen von KI-Entwicklern ernst; wenn Modelle aus Testumgebungen ausbrächen und eigenständig in andere Systeme eindrängen, liege ein „völlig neues Bedrohungsszenario“ vor. Das nationale KI-Sicherheitsinstitut habe die Arbeit aufgenommen, der Nationale Sicherheitsrat habe sich bereits zweimal befasst.

Eine Drosselung der Entwicklung lehnt die Bundesregierung ab – mit Verweis auf digitale Souveränität. Damit folgt sie genau derselben Argumentation wie US-Präsident Donald Trump, der Forderungen nach einer Verlangsamung oder strengeren Regulierung der KI-Entwicklung (wie sie etwa von Anthropic oder OpenAI gefordert wurden) strikt zurückweist. Ganz seinem Motto folgend: „Wer bei KI gewinnt, gewinnt.“

Eine NGO, die niemand kennt

Zum Schluss die Frage dieser Zeitung nach der erneuten Bundesförderung des Abrahams Accords Institute für 2026, dessen Trägerverein vom CDU-Abgeordneten Armin Laschet geführt wird und bei dem personelle Überschneidungen mit dem Abgeordnetenbüro dokumentiert sind. Aus der ersten Förderperiode in Millionenhöhe liegen verspätete und nach Einschätzung des Bundesverwaltungsamts nicht nachvollziehbare Abrechnungen sowie nicht umgesetzte Projektbestandteile vor.

Die Antwort der Bundesregierung: Weder der Vorgang noch die Vorhaltungen seien bekannt. Bei einer Förderung, die der Beauftragten für Kultur und Medien im Bundeskanzleramt zuzuordnen ist, ist das eine Auskunft, die den Vorgang nicht aufklärt, sondern lediglich verschiebt.

Die andere Hälfte

Vier Themen, vier Ressorts, ein Muster. Die Schließung der Goethe-Institute erscheint als Akt ohne Vorgeschichte, die Spritpreise als Naturereignis ohne Urheber, der abgeschwächte Schutz ärztlicher Gespräche als Regelung ohne praktische Bedeutung – und eine Förderung aus dem Kanzleramt als Vorgang ohne Zuständige. Nichts davon ist falsch im engeren Sinne. Es ist nur jeweils die Hälfte. Die andere Hälfte zu liefern wäre Aufgabe einer Regierungspressekonferenz; sie einzufordern bleibt Aufgabe derer, die dort fragen.

Originalbeitrag Berliner Zeitung

Iran War Adds More Than €100bn to Europe’s Energy Import Bill

1 October 2026 at 08:47

European Union countries have paid more than €100 billion extra for energy this year without receiving additional oil or gas, according to EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen, as disruption linked to the Iran war drives another energy shock through the European economy.

Speaking ahead of an informal meeting of EU energy ministers in Dublin, Jørgensen said Europe had “surpassed €100 billion” in additional spending.

“We have now surpassed €100 billion that we’ve paid extra for our energy this year without receiving one extra molecule of gas or oil,” he said in the European Commission’s recording of his remarks.

The figure puts a direct cost on the price shock which has followed disruption to oil and liquefied natural gas supplies associated with the conflict involving Iran.

The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz has disrupted one of the world’s most important energy corridors. Under normal conditions, the waterway handles roughly one fifth of globally traded oil and significant LNG volumes.

Europe remains heavily exposed because most of the oil it consumes and about 80 per cent of its gas requirements come from outside the EU.

The consequences were already visible in trade figures published before the latest ministerial meeting.

Last week, EU Today reported that the EU’s oil import bill had risen 55.8 per cent in the second quarter compared with a year earlier, even though the physical volume of crude imported increased by only 1.2 per cent.

Europe was therefore paying substantially more without materially increasing the amount of energy it purchased.

The pressure has intensified as winter approaches.

EU gas storage is around 70 per cent full, roughly 12 percentage points below the level recorded at the same stage last year. Jørgensen has warned governments to continue filling storage or consider reducing demand if required.

Possible measures include limiting temperatures in public buildings, restricting outdoor heating and switching off unnecessary public lighting, according to recommendations circulated to governments ahead of the Dublin meeting.

The informal meeting of EU energy ministers focused on energy affordability, security of supply and Europe’s continuing exposure to international fossil-fuel markets.

Irish Energy Minister Darragh O’Brien described the situation as the second major fossil-fuel shock Europe had faced in four years and argued that domestic clean-energy production was essential if the EU wanted to reduce its vulnerability to future crises.

Europe is in a stronger physical position than during the 2022 energy crisis.

It has expanded LNG import infrastructure, increased renewable electricity generation and reduced gas demand. It has also sharply reduced its dependence on Russian pipeline gas.

But that restructuring has created different dependencies.

European buyers now compete more directly for LNG on global markets, meaning events in the Gulf, Asia or the United States can rapidly affect the price paid by European consumers.

EU Today reported earlier this month that reduced LNG availability and disruption around Hormuz had left European gas storage at historically weak seasonal levels.

Diesel presents another problem.

Europe became more dependent on imported refined products after reducing purchases from Russia, with the United States now supplying approximately half of EU diesel imports.

Washington has considered restrictions on diesel exports as domestic US prices rise. European officials have urged the Trump administration not to introduce such measures, warning that they would increase pressure on international markets.

Emergency reserves provide some protection.

EU countries are required to maintain strategic oil stocks, while the International Energy Agency coordinated a release of 400 million barrels from member-country reserves earlier this year.

France and Germany hold a particularly large share of Europe’s strategic diesel inventories. Further releases remain possible if international markets deteriorate, although no new coordinated decision has yet been taken.

The current crisis is also feeding into the EU’s longer-term energy debate.

Spain, Portugal and Luxembourg are now pressing for an EU renewable-energy target for 2040, arguing that increasing domestic electricity generation would reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels.

The security argument extends beyond climate policy. An EU Today Research Desk paper published in June examined how concentrated fossil-fuel supply routes and maritime chokepoints can transmit geopolitical shocks into European prices, infrastructure and industry.

The current disruption provides a practical example.

Europe has not bought substantially more fuel, but it is paying tens of billions of euros more because the international price of the energy it imports has risen.

The immediate concern is whether supplies and gas inventories will be sufficient through the coming winter without another sharp increase in prices.

The longer-term question is how much of Europe’s energy demand can be moved away from imported fossil fuels before another geopolitical crisis produces the same result.

For EU governments, Jørgensen’s €100 billion figure provides a measure of the cost of that dependency.

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