Joint statement on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline

We, the undersigned representatives of Green-affiliated political parties in the countries around the Baltic Sea, hereby express our firm disapproval of and our opposition to the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project.

It will increase the European Union’s dependency on Russia’s natural gas supplies. The Baltic States know first-hand about the perils of this dependency and the political strings that Russia attaches to such energy projects. We are weary about the probable fallout of the Nord Stream 2 on Ukraine and its efforts to protect its sovereignty and the right to choose the European path of development. It is also a project that puts in danger Europe’s energy sovereignty and solidarity among member states.

We also denounce it because it stands in sharp contrast to the EU Green Deal. New fossil fuel projects are incompatible with Europe’s climate commitments, and neither the EU, nor individual member states should be promoting or hosting such controversial projects. Nord Stream 2 is not a European project; it never had majority support in the European Council, the European Parliament nor the European Commission.

We reject the characterisation of natural gas as an intermediary measure on the pathway towards a fully renewables-based energy sector. Investments in new natural gas infrastructure pose the danger of locking in reliance on fossil fuels and non-achievement of our climate objectives.

We are convinced that the transitional period to fully renewables-based economy can be facilitated by investments in the trans-European electricity network. While the Baltic States are undergoing a complex process of integrating and synchronising its electricity sector with the rest of the EU, supporting these and similar efforts should be the focus of European solidarity and attention.

Controversial projects such as the Nord Stream 2 are also undermining the EU’s global standing and credibility. While the EU is urging other countries and continents to reduce sharply their carbon emissions, it should lead by example and refrain from expanding its own fossil fuel infrastructure to avoid the accusations of hypocrisy.

We urge the European Commission to use its full power in implementing the EU Gas sector legislation in order to uphold and safeguard the principles of security of supply, solidarity between Member States as well as the functioning of market rules within the EU.

Ville Niinistö, MEP, Vihreät (The Greens in Finland), Finland
Satu Hassi, MP, Vihreät (The Greens in Finland), Finland

Viola von Cramon-Taudabel, MEP, Bündnis 90/Die Grünen (The German Greens), Germany
Reinhard Buetikofer, MEP, Bündnis 90/Die Grünen (The German Greens), Germany
Sergey Lagodinsky, MEP, Bündnis 90/Die Grünen (The German Greens), Germany
Claudia Mueller, MP, Bündnis 90/Die Grünen (The German Greens), Germany

Jakop Dalunde, MEP, Miljöpartiet de gröna (Swedish Green Party), Sweden
Pär Holmgren, MEP Miljöpartiet de gröna (Swedish Green Party), Sweden

Kira Peter-Hansen, MEP, Socialistisk Folkepart (Socialist People’s Party), Denmark
Margrete Auken, MEP, Socialistisk Folkepart (Socialist People’s Party), Denmark

Bronis Ropė, MEP, Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union, Lithuania
Arvydas Nekrošius, MP, Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union, Lithuania
Tomas Tomilinas, MP, Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union, Lithuania

on behalf of Partia Zieloni, The Polish Green party, Urszula Dragan, MP, Poland

Download the joint statement in PDF