As Germany braces for potentially severe energy shortages this winter, the New Democrat's Climate Change and Environment Critic Laurel Collins said the Liberal government needs to follow their lead.."Right now, Germans are facing an extreme situation. Russia is using energy policy as a weapon, but the German government is taking steps to protect regular people from energy shortages and increasing bills. While they’re making bold investments to transition into a clean energy future Canada is lagging behind.".In response to Russia cutting its energy exports by 80%, several major German cities are bringing in strict energy-saving measures. The city of Hanover, home to 500,000 people, will cut off public hot water in gyms, pools and sports halls, and stop illuminating major buildings at night..Google searches for "firewood" have spiked in the country, while Energy Minister Robert Habeck warned the public not to panic about the prospect of a gas shortage during the winter. Germany is also refusing to extend the lifespan of its three remaining nuclear power stations due to the energy crisis, arguing the amount of energy saved will be minimal..READ MORE: German city of Hanover brings in strict energy-saving measures.But during a meet with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Tuesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada will not be exporting more natural gas to the country to fill the gap.."Because of our commitment to fight climate change, we are working very, very hard to decarbonize and develop other sources of energy that we can rely on and we can share with the world," he said..Collins said while other countries have begun a "needed transition for our futures," the Liberals bought the Bay du Nord pipeline, increased exports and production, and have continued subsidizing oil and gas companies..Collins complimented the Liberals' deal to begin hydrogen shipments to Germany starting in 2025, she said the country needs to move towards clean energy faster.."The Liberals’ have a track record of broken promises and climate inaction," she said..Beyond hydrogen energy projects, Collins said the Liberals could be doing more to help our allies outside of ramping up fossil fuel production. They could deploy heat pumps in Europe, increasing the energy efficiency of building heating and reducing gas demand, she argued.."New Democrats know Canada must be a partner in international clean energy projects, but also drastically change our climate approach to protect future generations," Collins said.."We will keep fighting for the Liberals to take real and urgent action by ending fossil fuel subsidies and making sure they follow through on their commitments to cap oil and gas emissions. We cannot wait years for the Liberals to finally follow through on their promises.”
