Activists urge von der Leyen to end Europe's fossil fuel era

Europe is facing a new energy crisis triggered by the war on Iran and the temporary closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route for oil and gas. The European Commission revealed that the EU has spent over €50 billion extra on fossil fuel imports since the conflict began, despite €32.2 billion in savings from solar power. At a briefing on 10 September, CAN Europe and over 200 organizations urged Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to use her State of the European Union speech to commission a high-level, independent, science-based report on Europe's fossil fuel exit. They argue that ending fossil fuel dependence is in Europe's economic and strategic interest.