Belgium – Today, eight activists from Greenpeace Belgium confronted an LNG tanker coming from the US, and heading for the port of Zeebrugge, in protest of Europe's continued dependence on fossil gas imports. Aboard the Arctic Sunrise and in inflatable boats, they approached the US Marvel Swallow and unfurled banners featuring Trump and Putin, and reading "Their gas, your cash" to denounce how Europe's reliance on fossil gas fuels geopolitical instability, while leaving households burdened with skyrocketing energy costs.
Campaigners urge Europe to become energy independent by transitioning to renewables. Ending fossil gas imports is crucial for safety and security, says Greenpeace.
Photos and videos are available in the Greenpeace Media Library.
On board the Arctic Sunrise, Joeri Thijs, spokesperson for Greenpeace Belgium, said: "Autocrats like Putin fund their wars with gas revenues, while political bullies like Trump use their dominance as gas suppliers to pressure European countries economically and politically. Meanwhile, families and communities struggle with soaring energy bills and extreme weather fuelled by fossil gas. This dependence leaves us all vulnerable. Energy sovereignty through renewables is no longer just an environmental necessity, it is a matter of security."
On March 26, the EU implemented a ban on transshipment of Russian gas (LNG) at European ports. This ban is part of the EU's 14th sanction package against Russia and is aimed at restricting Russian LNG exports.[1] But despite promises to cut ties with Russia, EU imports of Russian LNG rose by 18% in 2024, and 45% of total imported LNG came from the US in the same year, making the US and Russia the EU's first- and second-largest LNG suppliers.[2] In total, the bloc spent €21.9bn on Russian oil and gas, surpassing the €18.7bn in aid to Ukraine, while delays persist in phasing out Russian fossil fuels imports.[3] And as Trump is pushing for Europe to buy more US fossil gas, leading EU officials are actually considering increasing US LNG imports.[4]
Thomas Gelin, energy and climate campaigner at Greenpeace EU, said: "The EU's dependence on fossil fuel imports, with all the problems that brings, can't be broken without a wholesale move to renewable energy and a clear commitment to phase out all fossil fuels, including fossil gas. The first step must be an immediate ban on all new fossil fuel projects in the EU, it's senseless to prepare for more fossil fuels than we need. No new pipelines, no new gas terminals, no half-measures: a ban on all new fossil fuel projects, pure and simple."
Breaking free from fossil gas is crucial for tackling the cost-of-living crisis, protecting democracy, and defending human rights. With Europe's LNG imports declining and gas demand down 20% since 2021, the EU must accelerate this shift. Greenpeace urges a full phase-out of fossil gas by 2035 and a commitment to clean, independent energy.[5]
