A decision by Washington to impose sanctions against Germany over Nord Stream 2 would undermine diplomatic climate change efforts, argues Stephen G. Gross, director of the Center for European and Mediterranean Studies at New York University, in a recent article for Foreign Policy.

“There are many reasons to see Russia and President Vladimir Putin as agents of geopolitical destabilization. But natural gas is not one of them. In fact, sanctioning Germany over Nord Stream 2 would damage transatlantic relations and undermine the very sort of cooperative diplomacy Europe and the United States need to fight climate change,” Gross writes.

He argues that Russian natural gas is merely a temporary solution as Germany continues to increase its reliance on renewable energy sources. He suggests that in calling for an end to Nord Stream 2, the United States is complicating Berlin’s climate policy and increasing the financial burden on German consumers.

Furthermore, the move would be out of line with the White House’s interest in working with foreign allies and adversaries alike to combat climate change, he says.

“Instead of sanctions on Nord Stream 2, U.S. President Joe Biden should help Europe green its electricity system so it can reach a clean energy future on schedule. For those concerned about geopolitics, such an approach has the added benefit of making Russian natural gas redundant,” he writes.

Read the full article at Foreign Affairs.

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