The Guardian: Europe's dependency on Russian gas may be cut amid energy efficiency focus

Europe's deep dependency on Russian gas could be slashed by a third if EU leaders place a higher priority on energy efficiency savings, according to the Institute for Public and Policy Research.

Europe imports about a third of its gas from Moscow and half of that flows through Ukraine. While only 15% of the UK's gas comes from Russia, six of the states closest to the Russian border are completely reliant on it, raising fears of a "gas crunch" this winter, if the crisis in Ukraine is not resolved.

On Monday the EU was preparing to impose new sanctions focused on the fundraising capabilities of Russian oil companies Rosneft and Transneft, and the petroleum unit of the gas company Gazprom, diplomatic sources said.

Russia's prime minister, Dmitry Medvedev, had earlier warned that the country would respond "asymmetrically" to further sanctions, possibly by preventing airlines from flying through Russian airspace.
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