La finance privée peut encore endiguer l'explosion des projets GNL en Europe

The document warns against a surge of new LNG terminal projects in Europe triggered by the energy crisis following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It argues these projects will not solve short-term energy shortages due to construction delays and market constraints, while risking long-term 'carbon lock-in' and increased methane emissions. The author specifically criticizes the opacity of the Le Havre floating terminal project and calls on private financial institutions, including GFANZ members, to implement exclusions for LNG infrastructure to align with 1.5°C warming targets.

• Since February 2022, Europe has seen a surge in LNG import terminal projects, including at least 16 new projects and 6 reactivated dormant plans, which could nearly double current import capacity.
• New LNG terminals are deemed ineffective for solving the current energy crisis because they have an average construction time of 3.5 years from the final investment decision and face a global market where gas is currently unavailable due to high demand.
• LNG infrastructure risks creating a 'carbon lock-in' for 30 years or more, potentially preventing the EU from reaching its target of a 55% emissions reduction by 2030 and climate neutrality by 2050.
• The floating terminal project in Le Havre, operated by TotalEnergies with a planned capacity of 5 billion cubic meters per year, is criticized for its lack of transparency regarding costs and environmental impacts due to French government exemptions.
• Significant private funding is required for these projects, such as the Brünsbuttel and Stade regasification terminals in Germany which require investments of $500 million and $580 million respectively.

APA

Martin, L. (2022). La finance privée peut encore endiguer l'explosion des projets GNL en Europe. Reclaim Finance. https://reclaimfinance.org/site/2022/09/26/la-finance-privee-peut-encore-endiguer-lexplosion-des-projets-gnl-en-europe/

Chicago

Martin, Léo. La finance privée peut encore endiguer l'explosion des projets GNL en Europe. Reclaim Finance, 2022. https://reclaimfinance.org/site/2022/09/26/la-finance-privee-peut-encore-endiguer-lexplosion-des-projets-gnl-en-europe/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Martin |first1=Léo |title=La finance privée peut encore endiguer l'explosion des projets GNL en Europe |publisher=Reclaim Finance |date=26 September 2022 |url=https://reclaimfinance.org/site/2022/09/26/la-finance-privee-peut-encore-endiguer-lexplosion-des-projets-gnl-en-europe/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{martin2022finance, author = {Martin, Léo}, title = {{La finance privée peut encore endiguer l'explosion des projets GNL en Europe}}, publisher = {Reclaim Finance}, year = {2022}, month = sep, url = {https://reclaimfinance.org/site/2022/09/26/la-finance-privee-peut-encore-endiguer-lexplosion-des-projets-gnl-en-europe/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }