Greenpeace Activists Protest LNG Imports in Zeebrugge
On Thursday, eight Greenpeace Belgium activists took to the waters near Zeebrugge to express their opposition to the arrival of liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments from the United States and Russia. Their demonstration, which featured banners stating, “Their gas, your cash,” targeted both U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin as symbols of what they believe is harmful leadership in the energy sector.
The Protest in Detail
Utilizing the Greenpeace vessel Arctic Sunrise alongside smaller inflatable boats, the activists aimed to confront U.S. LNG tanker Marvel Swallow and also challenged a Russian gas tanker, as confirmed by Greenpeace Belgium on social media platforms.
The organization has raised concerns that reliance on methane gas imports exacerbates the climate crisis and compromises the energy security of the European Union (E.U.). Joeri Thijs, a spokesperson for Greenpeace Belgium, articulated this viewpoint, stating that dependence on gas revenues empowers autocratic regimes, which can exploit energy resources for political leverage.
Political Context
The backdrop of the protest includes recent declarations from Trump about increasing fossil fuel production in the U.S. After emerging as the world’s largest LNG exporter under President Joe Biden, the Biden administration had paused new LNG export approvals pending an environmental impact study. The findings implicated LNG exports in worsening the climate crisis and inflating energy costs domestically, an assertion supported by climate advocates.
Since Trump’s return to office, however, approvals for additional LNG export facilities resumed, with new projects being prioritized. In fact, Trump’s administration has conditional approval for exports from the controversial Calcasieu Pass 2 facility in Louisiana. Recent signals suggest E.U. leaders are considering increased imports of U.S. fossil gas to avert potential tariffs. Currently, the U.S. accounts for 45% of the E.U.’s fossil gas imports.
Challenges with Russian Gas Dependency
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the E.U. implemented sanctions against Russia and banned the transshipment of Russian LNG at its ports. Nonetheless, reliance on Russian gas remains a significant issue, as imports increased by 18% in 2024, making Russia the second-largest source of methane gas for the bloc. Alarmingly, the E.U. has reportedly spent more on Russian gas and oil than it has contributed in aid for Ukraine.
Call for Renewable Energy
Greenpeace has emphasized the urgent need for a transition to renewable energy to mitigate the detrimental effects associated with fossil gas dependency. Thomas Gelin, a campaigner for energy and climate at Greenpeace E.U., called for an immediate prohibition on all new fossil fuel projects within the E.U., stating, “The E.U.’s dependence on fossil fuel imports, with all the problems that brings, can’t be broken without a wholesale move to renewable energy.”
Greenpeace points to a reduction of 20% in gas demand from 2021 to 2024, and a 19% decrease in overall imports last year, highlighting the potential for reducing fossil fuel reliance. Activists have gathered over 81,000 signatures for an open letter urging member countries to phase out fossil gas by 2035 and impose a ban on new fossil fuel projects.
Conclusion
The letter succinctly conveys that “Europe’s overreliance on fossil gas leads to rising energy bills, sickness, deaths, destruction of nature, and climate chaos.” The call to action is clear: the E.U. must take decisive steps to phase out fossil fuels to ensure energy sovereignty, environmental integrity, and economic stability for its citizens.
