The war in Ukraine is forcing Germany to radically overhaul its energy policy, given the country's high dependence on Russian fossil fuels. The initial reaction was sharp: Germany halted the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline project, announced the creation of strategic coal and gas reserves, pledged to build terminals for the import of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and agreed to support the exclusion of Russian banks from the SWIFT payment system. The government also committed to accelerating the transition to renewable energy sources to become more independent from energy imports. This article reflects the key events related to Germany's response to the war in the fields of energy and climate.

A. Merkel's government left a energy policy "disaster" in Germany

The former German government under Chancellor Angela Merkel has left the country with a "disaster" in energy policy that is now costing the country dearly, Green Party Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir (Cem Özdemir) said during a debate in Munich, as reported by Zeit Online. "We have inherited a catastrophic situation," the minister said, arguing that "it is not a good idea to allow a criminal named Vladimir Putin to cover 60% of gas supplies". C. Özdemir explained that the energy policy of the former government coalition should be "re-evaluated", without explicitly mentioning the role of either A. Merkel or the current Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democratic Party (SPD). "I would be very ashamed if I had left a country in this state to anyone," added C. Özdemir.