Die Gasrationierung muss die Nahrungsmittelproduktion priorisieren
Ich bleibe dabei: Wer das ferne Ziel des Klimaschutzes höher gewichtet als das Nahziel der Ernährung von Hunderten Millionen Menschen, der mag sich in seiner moralischen Überlegenheit gefallen – aber genau das Gegenteil ist der Fall.
Nun, wo das Gas langsamer fließt und wir mit oder ohne Embargo zu einer Knappheitssituation kommen können, stellt sich die Frage nach der Priorisierung des knappen Stoffes. Nicht vergessen dürfen wir dabei, die enorme Rolle, die Gas in der Nahrungsmittelproduktion spielt. Wir hatten das schon auf diesen Seiten, die FINANCIAL TIMES (FT) unterstreicht es aber erneut:
- “The EU has not yet grasped the nettle of what it will take to ensure the security of its food supply in a war environment. (They seem) to have forgotten both the wartime food shortages and even the 2008 crisis, which was the last time critical farming input prices were this high. There was a modest €500mm European Commission ‘support package’ for the agricultural sector, as well as a ‘temporary crisis framework’ for farmers, fertiliser producers and fisheries.” – bto: nicht genug. Es gibt ja wichtige EU-Staaten wie Deutschland, die an der Stilllegung von Flächen festhalten.
- “(…) there was an apparent lack of urgency on the part of the commission. As agriculture commissioner, Janusz Wojciechowski said in passing in a speech this month that ‘the EU itself does not face a food security risk’. Oh yes it does. Specifically, farmers do not have enough mineral fertiliser or diesel fuel to maintain food production. As one fertiliser industry person I know put it, accurately in my view: ‘the last few drops of diesel should be used by a tractor to spread fertiliser made with the last bit of gas’.” – bto: Von dieser Denke ist die EU weit und Deutschland Lichtjahre entfernt. Hinzu kommt gerade die Trockenheit, die dazu beiträgt, dass die Erträge in Deutschland und Frankreich zusätzlich deutlich geringer ausfallen werden.
- “In the EU regulation of October 2017, ‘concerning measures to safeguard the security of gas supply’ fertiliser production and food supply are not mentioned as an official priority. This is wrong-headed. Last year’s surges in gas prices led to widespread shutdowns of European nitrogen fertiliser makers, at a time when Russian and Chinese producers had cut off their exports.” – bto: was dafürspricht, dass es sich um eine strategische Vorgehensweise handelt.
- “If there is another ‘negative disruption of gas supply’ this year, such as a cut-off of Russian supplies, food shortages will quickly develop in Europe. Farmers, fertiliser manufacturers and fisheries must have their gas and diesel supplies prioritised over those for household use.” – bto: und subventioniert!
- “If Europe does not change priorities, farmers will skimp on the first applications of ammonia-based fertiliser in the coming autumn for next year’s crops of wheat and rapeseed. European farmers have already reduced their application of expensive potash and phosphate fertiliser but it takes about two years of economising for the effects of those shortfalls to become dire. A lack of ammonia-based fertiliser will quickly lead to a disastrous harvest.” – bto: Aber wieso sollten wir von den Bürokraten einen besseren Job erwarten als bei der Impfstoffbeschaffung.
- “High-level European officials are not the only policymakers in the world to be struggling to grasp the issue fully. Samantha Power, administrator of the US Agency for International Development, opined last Sunday on a TV talk show that ‘as a result [of the fertiliser shortages] we’re working with countries to think about natural solutions like manure and compost. And this may hasten transitions that would have been in the interest of farmers to make eventually anyway. So, never let a crisis go to waste . . . ’” – bto: Wir sehen also, Cem Özdemir ist nicht allein mit seiner Auffassung! Aber das ist keine gute Nachricht. Denn:
- “Power, despite her high office, seemed unaware of a less-than-ideal example of such a transition, or unwasted crisis: Sri Lanka. The island state’s leadership decided last April on an abrupt ‘transition’ to closed-loop farming methods where organic material is recycled back into the soil, forbidding the import of synthetic fertiliser. The results were disastrous, escalating an already severe economic crisis. Rice yields have fallen heavily, adding to widespread food shortages and a surge in inflation.” – bto: genauso wie der Schweinedung fehlt, wenn wir Schweine nicht mehr züchten.
Fazit: eine weitere Krise, die sich hätte verhindern lassen. Und hier haben wir nur über die Folgen für Europa gesprochen. Was fehlt, ist der Blick auf die Welt.
