It took the invasion of Ukraine for Europeans to realise that decades of short-sighted energy policy have caught up with them. As Germany strips its former chancellor of parliamentary privileges over his refusal to sever ties with Gazprom, Gerhard Schröder's downfall is a reminder that it's all of Germany and most of Europe that went for a quick buck by buying Russian oil and gas.
Meanwhile, France's second freak dry spell in three years is a reminder of another existential threat to this continent. We've mostly sleepwalked first into global warming and now into a climate emergency where water, not oil, could soon become the commodity we all obsess about.
We ask about Europe's new €300 billion plan to speed up the energy transition. This is just one of several green new deals. The main question is how to pay for it. On a continent currently whacked by its worst inflation in decades, how much of the burden is on taxpayers? How much are we willing to sacrifice?
Produced by Juliette Laurain, Sophie Pizzimenti and Guillaume Gougeon.
