How did “home heaters” become a national security issue in Germany?

Facing government officials wary of a rapid shift away from fossil fuels, Germany’s foreign minister said on Tuesday that the energy source Germans use to heat their homes should be considered a matter of national security.

“Part of our security architecture”

• Speaking at a renewable energy conference in Berlin, Baerbock acknowledged there was a “controversial debate” within the government, but insisted that “every cellar heating in our country is part of our future security architecture”.

How do Germans warm up?

• Almost half of Germany’s current home heating systems use natural gas, much of which came from Russia until supplies were cut off in the aftermath of Russia’s military operation in Ukraine.

reduce emissions

• Similar policy debates have accompanied efforts to cut emissions in the German transport sector, which is still dominated by combustion engine cars.
• The Liberal Democrats angered their Green Alliance partners this month by calling for a last-minute loophole to the EU’s combustion engine car ban.