Pyrrhic Victory: Why Europe and Turkey should not fight over fossil gas we cannot use

Global Witness asserts that tensions between NATO allies in the eastern Mediterranean over fossil gas are futile, as the EU's projected 90 percent reduction in gas demand by 2050 renders these reserves unnecessary. The report highlights that extracting discovered gas in disputed waters would produce carbon emissions comparable to the annual output of France and Spain combined. It specifically calls for the cancellation of the €6 billion EastMed pipeline, which is currently a "Project of Common Interest," arguing that its operation would cause immense environmental damage and further escalate regional conflict.

• The EU does not require additional gas from the eastern Mediterranean as current supplies from Norway, Russia, Turkey, Central Asia, and North Africa are sufficient to meet future demand, even during a year-long supply shock.
• To limit global temperature increases to 1.5°C, the EU must reduce gas consumption by 25% by 2030 (relative to 2016) and by 90% by 2050.
• The extraction and burning of gas already discovered in disputed eastern Mediterranean waters by 2050 would generate carbon emissions nearly equal to the combined annual emissions of France and Spain.
• The proposed €6 billion EastMed pipeline, which would transport gas from Israel and Cyprus to Greece, is viewed as a source of regional tension and a climate risk; if operated at full capacity until 2050, its emissions could exceed the annual output of France, Spain, and Italy combined.
• The EU provides regulatory and financial support to the EastMed pipeline through its "Project of Common Interest" (PCI) status, including up to €36 million in subsidies and potential funding from the European Investment Bank.

APA

Global Witness (n.d.). Pyrrhic Victory: Why Europe and Turkey should not fight over fossil gas we cannot use. https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/fossil-fuels/pyrrhic-victory-why-europe-and-turkey-should-not-fight-over-fossil-gas-we-cannot-use/

Chicago

Global Witness. Pyrrhic Victory: Why Europe and Turkey should not fight over fossil gas we cannot use. n.d. https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/fossil-fuels/pyrrhic-victory-why-europe-and-turkey-should-not-fight-over-fossil-gas-we-cannot-use/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Global Witness |title=Pyrrhic Victory: Why Europe and Turkey should not fight over fossil gas we cannot use |url=https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/fossil-fuels/pyrrhic-victory-why-europe-and-turkey-should-not-fight-over-fossil-gas-we-cannot-use/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{globalwitnessndpyrrhic, author = {{Global Witness}}, title = {{Pyrrhic Victory: Why Europe and Turkey should not fight over fossil gas we cannot use}}, publisher = {Global Witness}, url = {https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/fossil-fuels/pyrrhic-victory-why-europe-and-turkey-should-not-fight-over-fossil-gas-we-cannot-use/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }