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  • NEWS FEATURE

What the war in Ukraine means for energy, climate and food

Russia’s invasion has caused a short-term spike in prices, but could prompt a long-term shift towards sustainability.
By
  1. Jeff Tollefson
Gazprom PJSC's Nord Stream 2 Slavyanskaya Compressor Station in Ust-Luga, Russia.

The Russian end of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to Europe. Germany halted its approval of the pipeline after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Credit: Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg via Getty

On 22 February, Germany scuttled its approval of a newly built gas pipeline from Russia, and is now planning to import liquefied natural gas from countries such as Qatar and the United States. Belgium is reconsidering its exit from nuclear power, while Italy, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom are all accelerating efforts to install wind power. Fertilizer plants across Europe have announced they will scale back production, and 31 countries around the world have agreed to release oil from their strategic reserves.

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Nature 604, 232-233 (2022)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-022-00969-9

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