Potential Food and Energy Shortage Across the World

[Maat]

Europe's generic drugmakers say they may cut output due to energy bills

Europe's drugmakers have warned they may stop making some cheap generic medicines because of surging electricity costs and are calling for an overhaul of the way they are priced, the latest industry to seek help as the energy crisis deepens.

www.reuters.com

I just hope there is A LOT of fearmongering in all those news. Anyway, as usual, time will tell.

 

[Mari]

Germans protest soaring energy prices as EU warns of ‘dark winter’​

Tuesday, 04 October 2022 4:01 PM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 04 October 2022 4:22 PM ]

VIDEO in article


People have gathered in the German capital to protest soaring energy and commodity prices, and denounce their government's stance on the war in Ukraine.

Germans took to the streets in Berlin for the second time in three days on Monday, saying the government's policies on the war in Ukraine had led to an energy crisis, a stagnant economy, and soaring prices.

"People can't afford to heat their homes and, what's more, the situation is still worsening," said one protester.

The protesters also called on US-led NATO to immediately stop sending arms to Ukraine and to work to resolve the crisis peacefully through diplomacy.

Since the start of Russia's military offensive in Ukraine in late February, Germany has offered substantial support to Ukraine, sending the country billions of dollars in military aid and heavy weaponry. Russia has in turn cut off gas supplies to Europe, causing a worsening energy crisis.

Germany, along with other European Union countries, is scrambling to support homes and industries burdened by a further surge in energy prices.

Berlin accuses Russia of wielding energy as a weapon. Russia blames Western sanctions for the delay of necessary repairs to supply pipelines.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced a 200-billion-euro ($194-billion) plan on Friday to protect companies and households from the impact of soaring energy prices. Under the planned measures, to run until spring 2024, Berlin will introduce an emergency price brake on gas.

The plan, however, was criticized by other EU member states, including France, which said Berlin's plan went beyond those of its European neighbors.

Scholz pushed back against the criticism, saying other countries were also taking steps to shield citizens from price shocks.

"The measures we are taking are not unique but are also being taken elsewhere and rightly so," he said at a press conference.

'Dark winter'

EU Crisis Management Commissioner Janez Lenarcic, meanwhile, warned that the continent could face widespread and long lasting blackouts this winter amid the crisis.

Asked by Germany's RND media network if EU countries would possibly need disaster relief due to the energy crisis, Lenarcic responded, "Yes, that is quite possible."

The commissioner said the EU is more generally preparing for a winter of crises.

In a related development, Portugal's Economy Minister Antonio Costa Silva said that the EU wouldn't have been in this situation if it had had a single market.

Not establishing a single market, he said, "was a huge strategic error."

He also warned that it was "highly likely" that with the Ukraine war and the EU sanctions on Moscow continuing, Russian President Vladimir Putin would fully cut off gas exports to Europe in "the depths of this winter."

Costa Silva further said Europe would need to develop a solid plan to deal with this situation.

Protests against the energy policy of the authorities took place in Germany​

TRENDSFrances Trend about 14 hours ago

Protests against the energy policy of the authorities took place in Germany



https://pinterest.com/pin/create/bu...licy of the authorities took place in Germany
Protests against the energy policy of the authorities took place in Germany

In Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, more than 7,000 people took to the streets on Monday evening to protest against Germany’s energy policy and its implications for companies and consumers. This was reported on October 3 by the newspaper Die Welt.

Demonstrators gathered in 15 cities on German Unity Day (October 3), including the cities of Schwerin, Wismar, Ludwigslust, Neubrandenburg, Güstrow and Waren, police said.

According to the newspaper, in Neubrandenburg, where there were several hundred participants, one demonstrator called for an energy policy that remains accessible. Also, the protesters called for a peaceful dialogue instead of supplying weapons to Ukraine and marched with pickets on which “Friendship” was written in Russian.

On Saturday, September 24, Der Spiegel reported that the mood of the Germans is increasingly characterized by anger, hopelessness and a sense of powerlessness from the current political and economic situation in the country. Thus, 41% of respondents confirm the question of whether the term “anger” is applicable to their current emotional state.

On the same day, the federal criminal police department of Germany issued a memo stating that due to high inflation and possible rationing of energy consumption, violent protests are likely.

On September 23, the German news portal The Pioneer reported on growing dissatisfaction with the policies of the authorities in East Germany. According to the study, in the summer of 2022, only 31% of people positively assessed the work of the government, while two years earlier this figure was 40%.

A few days earlier, it became known that almost half of the Germans were dissatisfied with the policy of the Minister of Economics of Germany Robert Habek. According to a survey by the sociological institute INSA, 49% of Germans believe that Habek is not doing his job well. Only 34% of respondents are convinced that the minister is doing his job successfully.

In Croatian MSM news, this event was reported as:

The extreme left, as well as the right, have come into their own these days in Germany: they are using the dissatisfaction of citizens in the east of the country, the former Democratic Republic, to organize and support numerous protests, where citizens are called to revolt against the government's energy policy.

So - if you plan to go out on a protest because you will have no money and/or home in a few months - then you are an extremist!!!
Shame on them!!!

Anyway, some videos of protests in the last week:

 

[Mari]

Also Rome, Italy:

"We will not pay!" - Protesters burn energy bills on the streets of Rome

Dozens of protesters gathered in Rome on Monday outside the headquarters of CDP (Cash Deposit and Credit) bank for a sit-in organized by the Union of Grassroots Unions (USB) against the high cost of living and hikes in electricity and gas prices. Energy bills were symbolically burned during the protest.

"Wir werden nicht zahlen!" – Demonstranten verbrennen Energierechnungen auf den Straßen Roms — Video | VK

Watch "Wir werden nicht zahlen!" – Demonstranten.. 2 Min. 8 Sek. from 4. Oktober 2022 online in HD for free in the VK catalog without signing up! Views: 843. Likes: 18.

vk.com

Italy: Dozens burn energy bills in Rome cost-of-living protest

October 4, 2022 at 05:48 GMT +02:00 · Published

Dozens of protesters, led by USB Union, burnt energy bills outside CDP bank in Rome as part of a rally against rising costs of living, on Monday.
Rally participants can be seen chanting and holding placards with some of them reading: 'We don’t pay the bills' and 'We do not pay your wars and your crisis'.
Similar events have reportedly taken place in other 13 Italian cities.

 

[Ben]

UK drops plan to prepare for winter blackouts with energy rationing campaign

Exclusive: business department and industry were considering drive to cut household use, despite PM ruling it out

www.theguardian.com

Asked during the leadership campaign whether she would rule out energy rationing, Truss said: “I do rule that out. Yes.”

 

 

[XPan]

UK drops plan to prepare for winter blackouts with energy rationing campaign

Exclusive: business department and industry were considering drive to cut household use, despite PM ruling it out

www.theguardian.com

Asked during the leadership campaign whether she would rule out energy rationing, Truss said: “I do rule that out. Yes.”

It seems to me that several governments are following exactly the script for the upcoming winter; energy rationing with controlled partial blackouts. Even here in Sweden, the Gov has already preprogrammed us for that "likely" to happen...

A little side note: it will be funny, when there is no electricity in Stockholm, as many people cannot get into the front door - because many landlords have installed electronic keys, and taken away physical key locks. How stupid isn't that on a scale between 1 and 10 ?!

 

[Pat]

I have posted before about the cost of electricity in Spain. They now make us pay for the gas they calculate is being used to produce electricity for individual household... on top of our electricity consumption we have to pay for gas.
I wonder if it's because we don't have gas bills and we all have to be iqual, all have to share costs??
Incredible!!

 

[Abats]

Interestingly, there are starting to be gasoline shortages in France, the prefect of the Haut de France region has announced that he has dipped into the strategic reserves to supply some stations.

Usually in France when the unions strike in the refineries, we see the police arrive quickly to let the trucks circulate and that the production restarts... however for the moment, there is absolutely no police, which leads me to think that this is organized.

Vers une pénurie d’essence? Des stations sont déjà à sec, c’est la galère pour les automobilistes

Les grévistes de TotalEnergies ont reconduit samedi leur mouvement de grève: résul...

www.lavoixdunord.fr

The blocking of the TotalEnergies Dunkerque depots is having repercussions in the Boulonnais region. From Saint-Léonard to Marquise, it is impossible to fill up. Motorists are turning to the supermarkets, which are in turn being robbed.

This Monday, October 3, the same situation was observed in Arras.

Striking TotalEnergies workers renewed their strike for wages in three of the group's five French refineries on Saturday, October 1, according to the CGT, which would like to make this movement, launched at its initiative, a lasting one.

If the refineries of Donges (Loire-Atlantique) and Grandpuits (Seine-et-Marne) - in the process of conversion into "bio-refinery" - have, as expected, suspended the movement for this weekend, all other refining sites and fuel depots "are still in the battle," said AFP Pedro Afonso, CGT representative at the Feyzin refinery (Rhône).

"We will launch a strike fund so that it can last," he said about the Feyzin refinery, adding that strikers at other sites wanted to take similar action.

According to the group's management, however, this Saturday there were "only six strikers on the Feyzin site" and operations and work currently underway "are continuing normally" on the platform which is "not on strike".

A rush in September because of the discount
The CGT believes that the movement could complicate the supply of fuel to service stations. Some have already been confronted with unavailability of fuel, consequence of the rush of motorists (+30% of frequentation in September) attracted by a discount at the pump granted by the group to limit price increases.

Questioned Saturday by the AFP, the direction of the giant of hydrocarbons reiterated its message of the day before, confirming implicitly tensions on the offer of fuels because of the strong frequentation, while indicating that "in spite of the social movements, the replenishment (of the) stations continues in the context of the operation of fall of the prices", with the help of "additional logistic means".

Another consequence of the movement, the operations to stop the refinery of Normandy, the largest in France, continued Saturday.

In the event of an effective shutdown of this refinery, which represents more than 20% of the country's refining capacity, there would only be two refineries in operation out of the eight in mainland France, with another strike affecting those of Esso-ExxonMobil.

Towards a shortage?
The CGT is demanding a salary increase of 10% for the year 2022. For its part, the management recalls having granted an average increase of 3.5% at the beginning of the year and refers to the opening of negotiations, initially scheduled for January 2023, and advanced to mid-November in the current context of inflation.

As a result, according to RMC, Total must import fuel from abroad. However, if the strike continues, gasoline could continue to be in short supply at Total stations, according to a refining specialist. However, the situation is not absolutely dramatic, according to Francis Pousse, National President of the fuel distributors and new energies branch of the Mobilians union. Invited to "Charles Matin" on RMC this Monday morning, he said that there is no risk of gasoline shortage currently. "We have refineries stopped, but the 200 depots in France are always full and supplied. In addition, we have in France, as in all European countries, what is called strategic stocks which represent 90 days of stocks intended to respond to a serious crisis. These strategic stocks can be used, on the orders of the government, to fill depots where there is a shortage of fuel, so today there is no risk of shortage, "he said.

 

[jess]

A recent video of the podcasts Mini Ice Age 2015-2035

MIAC ADAPT NOW! 10/6/22 A New Level of Intensification Begins

 

[pinkfreud]

Thanks - he has certainly dropped the ball on all his other channels and even his own website as far as I can tell. I don't see or remember any real explanation. It seems odd for someone so conscientious and I am reluctant to sign up for either Telegram or Twitter but, that's the way it goes. Thanks, again.

As I recall, a few of his last videos included strong yet vague references to “legal trouble” he was having. He warned that his YouTube channel was already under scrutiny. Maybe they took it all the way on him

 

[Olivierlejardinier]

From AP

UK offers new North Sea oil, gas licenses despite opposition​

LONDON (AP) — The British government opened a new licensing round for North Sea oil and gas exploration Friday despite criticism from environmentalists and scientists who say the move undermines the country’s commitment to fighting climate change.

The Conservative government argues that extracting more fossil fuels from the North Sea will create jobs and strengthen U.K. energy security, and is less environmentally harmful than importing gas and oil from abroad.

“I know it sounds contradictory – but it’s actually good for the environment,” Climate Minister Graham Stuart said.
“When we burn our own gas, it’s got lower emissions around its production than foreign gas … as well as supporting British jobs,” he told the BBC.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has pushed gas and electricity prices higher and squeezed energy supplies across Europe, prompting countries to focus urgently on securing new sources.

The North Sea Transition Authority, or NSTA, said almost 900 new exploration blocks and partial blocks of the North Sea are available, with up to 100 licenses likely to be issued. Priority will be given to four areas off the east coast of England that are known to contain hydrocarbons and are close to existing infrastructure.

And

Munich Re to stop its backing for new oil, gas fields​

BERLIN (AP) — Munich Re, one of the world’s biggest insurance companies, said Thursday that it will stop backing new oil and gas fields beginning next April.

The company said it will also no longer invest in or insure new oil pipelines and power plants that weren’t already under construction by Dec. 31, 2022.

Munich Re said the moves were part of its effort to reduce the harmful impact its business has on the environment. The burning of oil and gas is one of the main sources of greenhouses gases fueling climate change.

Munich Re provides so-called reinsurance contracts that help other insurers spread risks. It also invests the insurance premiums it receives from customers and third-party assets, making it a major institutional investor.


Go figure , that's the famous european unity in action...

 

[Mari]

today, 08.10.

AfD supporters rally in Berlin against energy policy and inflation​

Supporters of the Alternative for Germany party hold a demonstration demanding immediate changes to the policies of the governing coalition, which they say are increasing energy prices and the cost of living.

AfD supporters rally in Berlin against energy policy and inflation — Video | VK

Watch AfD supporters rally in Berlin against energy.. from 8. Oktober 2022 online in HD for free in the VK catalog without signing up! Views: 358. Likes: 33.

vk.com

 

[mabar]

Things are scalanting quickly

️Ukraine will STOP exporting electricity to EU from Oct 11 - after strikes hit critical facilities on Monday (Country's energy ministry)

BREAKING @RT_India_official

 

[mabar]

Good to know that he is starting? to connect some dots. Wonder how they won't accept it, with what kind of measures, choices? Never is too late.

French Economy Minister: "The war in Ukraine must not result in an economic domination of the US and a weakening of the EU. We cannot accept that our US partner sells LNG 4 times more expensive than it sells it to its industries."

https://twitter.com/x/status/1579535971510800384

 

[Pierre]

Meanwhile in France:
"Nearly 9,000 business failures recorded this summer, or 69% more than last year. Restaurants and retail are the hardest hit. This failure rate has not been observed for 25 years. Freelancers are in danger"

https://twitter.com/x/status/1579734220569993216

 

[MK Scarlett]

Good to know that he is starting? to connect some dots. Wonder how they won't accept it, with what kind of measures, choices? Never is too late.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1579535971510800384

Bruno Le Maire can always pretend to complain about the USA, he is a patent liar who laughs behind the scenes about the measures he is taking with Emmanuel Macron's approval against the French people in the name of the WEF.