London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Jul 10, 2026

Work from home to beat Putin, says EU

Work from home to beat Putin, says EU

The EU is asking its citizens to drive less, turn down air conditioning and work from home three days a week, to reduce reliance on Russian energy.

The measures, drawn up with the International Energy Agency, would save a typical household €450 (£375) a year.

Buying energy from Russia helps to support its economy and finance the war in Ukraine.

But Europe has said it cannot find alternative supplies, so it is asking citizens to adjust their lifestyles.

The nine-point plan, entitled “Playing My Part”, urges citizens to drive less, by using public transport, or working from home three days a week.

It also calls on citizens to:

*  Heat their homes less in winter, and turn the air conditioning down in summer.

*  Drive more slowly on highways, with the car air conditioning turned down, which uses less fuel

*  Use the train instead of flying

*  Travel by public transport, walk, or cycle

It also calls on cities to promote car-free Sundays, as some already do.

“Faced with the horrendous scenes of human suffering that we’ve seen following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, people in Europe want to take action,” said Fatih Birol, executive director of the IEA.

“This guide has easy-to-follow steps that with little or no discomfort on our part can reduce the flow of money to Russia’s military and help put us on a path to a cleaner and more sustainable planet.”

The IEA calculates that if every citizen followed its recommendations, it could save 220 million barrels of oil every year, enough to fill 120 supertankers. It would also save 17bn cubic metres of gas, enough to heat nearly 20 million homes.

In March, the EU announced a plan to make the bloc independent of Russian energy imports by 2030.

But the German energy minister Christian Lindner told the BBC on Wednesday it would be impossible to stop oil imports immediately.

The report also recommends that citizens consider investing in home insulation, smart digital thermostats, and digital cars, which can all help to reduce fossil fuel use.

"All these measures, they can be voluntary contributions," said Leonore Gewessler, Austria's environment minister. "But they need political action to underpin them."

Austria has cut all fares on public transport to three euros per day, she said, and is introducing a programme to help low-income households replace old, inefficient appliances.

Eamon Ryan, Ireland's environment minister said by acting at a European level, it was easier to get the political messaging right.

"It is very difficult not to come across as someone who is telling the citizen what to do, or is being seen as a mean, Scrooge-like character," he said.

EU countries are calling on citizens to walk, cycle or take public transport to reduce reliance on Russian oil


Separately, the UK announced it was tightening sanctions on non-energy goods exported from Russia, including a ban on caviar, silver and wood products.

The Department for International Trade said it was also ramping up taxes on some other exports from Russia and Belarus, covering goods worth a total of £130m.

The products facing higher import duties include diamonds, rubber, pharmaceuticals, meat, coffee, tobacco and other products.

International Trade Secretary, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, said the UK was taking every opportunity to "ratchet the pressure to isolate the Russian economy".

"These further measures will tighten the screws, shutting down lucrative avenues of funding for Putin's war machine," she said.

Comments

Oh ya 4 year ago
Yes you idiots in Europe do that for your US puppet masters and Russia will just sell the energy you don't use to China, Iran, Turkey etc. I never realized that the people in Europe were that stupid. Do you people think that Americans are doing any of what they are telling you to do? Oh and 0nly bath once a month also sheeple

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
University College London Report Proposes Replacing Council Tax and Stamp Duty With National Property Tax
Treasury Places Amazon, Google, Microsoft and Oracle Under New UK Financial System Oversight Rules
Severe Heatwave Drives Dangerous Ground-Level Ozone Pollution Across Two Thirds of European Union
Westminster in Freefall as Farage's By-Election Gamble Triggers Broader Systemic Crises
Institutional Fractures and Political Volatility Reshape Britain's Domestic Landscape
Deadly Fire, Health Emergencies and Political Upheaval Shape a Volatile Global News Cycle
UK Energy Strategy Focuses on Storage and Offshore Wind to Support Renewable Transition
Regional Governments Gain Greater Role in Britain’s Infrastructure and Economic Strategy
Britain Strengthens Technology Sovereignty Through Tougher Artificial Intelligence Competition Rules
UK Government Expands Artificial Intelligence Use Across Public Services Despite Privacy Debate
UK Universities Warn of Financial Pressure After Sharp Fall in International Student Enrolment
Welsh Government Completes Rail Nationalisation With One Point Five Billion Pound Modernisation Plan
Northern Ireland Records Export Growth as Companies Benefit From Dual UK and EU Market Access
Greater Manchester Launches Two Billion Pound Plan to Convert Empty Commercial Sites Into Housing
National Grid Connects Europe’s Largest Battery Storage Facility in Yorkshire
UK Defence Ministry Plans Royal Navy Autonomous Fleet Deployment to Indo-Pacific
Scotland Approves Europe’s Largest Floating Offshore Wind Project Near Aberdeen
Competition and Markets Authority Blocks Forty Billion Pound Technology Deal Over AI Security Concerns
UK Launches Five Hundred Million Pound Artificial Intelligence Network for National Health Service Diagnostics
Bank of England Signals Possible Interest Rate Cuts After Inflation Falls Below Target
UK Government Unveils Major Wealth Tax Reform to Fund National Health Service Infrastructure Expansion
Flight Instructor Jumped to His Death — Student Landed the Plane: "You Know What You Need to Do"
The Physical and Electronic Barriers Disrupting Domestic Wireless Networks
France and Morocco Open World Cup Quarter-Finals as Collina Defends Refereeing
Prince Harry Suffers Major Court Defeat in Legal Battle Against Daily Mail Publisher
Bonnie Tyler, Welsh Singer Behind Total Eclipse of the Heart, Dies at 75
Barclays and PwC Report Examines Economic Opportunities from Financial Asset Tokenisation
Pound Sterling Strengthens as Investors Anticipate Further Bank of England Rate Increases
British Business Bank Invests Twenty-Seven Million Pounds in Kraken Technology Defence Expansion
UK Business Secretary Peter Kyle Backs State Investment Strategy Inspired by US Approach
UK Electricity System Issues Margin Notice as Heatwave Tightens Evening Supply Outlook
Labour Leadership Contest Opens as Andy Burnham Emerges as Expected Sole Candidate
Tech Pulse: The Future of AI and Screen Culture
Global News Briefing: Escalating Geopolitical Tensions and Corporate Shakeups
Global News Brief: Escalating Conflicts, Public Health Crises, and World Cup Drama
Rare Early Copy of US Declaration of Independence Found in British Archive
Cornish Language Revival Gains Momentum Through Schools and Community Programs
UK Authorities Face Criticism Over Prisoner Early Release Safeguards
Clacton By-Election Set After Nigel Farage Resigns Seat to Trigger Contest
Government Agencies Review Long-Term Fiscal Risks from Aging Population and Low Productivity
UK Heatwaves Expose Pressure on Public Transport and Housing Infrastructure
UK Government Prepares Welfare Review Amid Debate Over Personal Independence Payment Reform
UK Government Expands Rapid Endometriosis Testing Across NHS Services
Vistry Group Issues Profit Warning as UK Housing Market Faces Continued Pressure
Virgin Media Receives Record Twenty-Eight Million Pound Fine Over Contract Cancellation Failures
Office for Budget Responsibility Warns UK Public Finances Face Long-Term Pressure
UK Watchdog Warns Regional Income Gap Has Barely Narrowed in Three Decades
IMF Raises United Kingdom Growth Forecast as Inflation and Energy Pressures Ease
UK Government Launches Regulatory Reform Bill to Speed Up Commercialization of Innovation
Prince Harry Loses Privacy Lawsuit Against Daily Mail Publisher After High Court Rejects Claims
×