On Tuesday, the European Commission proposed a gradual ban on imports of 4 billion euros ($ 4.3 billion) a year worth of Russian coal as part of a fifth package of sanctions aimed at further easing Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war. Other proposals target imports of Russian technology and processing, worth another 10 billion euros ($ 10.9 billion). Europe has imposed punitive sanctions on the Russian economy since Putin’s tanks entered Ukraine in late February, but they have not targeted Russia’s energy sector – so far. Images of unarmed civilians tied up and shot, lying along the streets of Bukha – which until recently were under Russian occupation – persuaded leaders to change course. More details on the new round of sanctions, including the timetable for the coal ban, are expected on Wednesday, when EU ambassadors will meet for talks. The measures still need the approval of all 27 Member States. Coal sanctions will bite some European countries, but they are one of the easiest sources of energy for weaning – much of the world is already doing just that. The most difficult question is: What will happen next? How much Russian coal goes to Europe? Russia was the world’s third-largest coal exporter in 2020, behind Australia and Indonesia, according to the International Energy Agency, with Europe by far its largest customer. The continent received 57 million tonnes of Russian coal that year, compared with 31 million tonnes for China, according to IEA figures. That was more than half of Europe’s coal that year, according to Eurostat. But the EU had already moved away from the dirtiest fossil fuels in the world. The amount of electricity generated from coal has been steadily declining across the block in recent years, falling by 29% between 2017 and 2019, according to an analysis of the Ember think tank. And despite a slight rise last year as gas prices hit record highs, the IOC expects European demand for coal to continue its steady decline. Total imports were expected to fall by 6% by 2024, even before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Other countries could step in to buy Russian coal. The ILO expects India’s carbon imports to increase by 4% in 2024 and more than 6% in Southeast Asia. Russia has already benefited from the jump in exports to China following Xi Jinping blocking Australian imports, the agency said in a December report. Read more:
