With the current energy crisis, exacerbated by sanctions against Russia, there are already new demands for speed limits, travel restrictions and price controls. The road to the Great Reset continues to be paved.
The global oil market is currently facing the greatest disruption since the 1973 oil crisis, precisely as a result of Western sanctions against Russia. Even then, speed limits on roads and motorways were tightened in many countries and car-free Sundays were introduced in order to save fuel. Now the whole thing could repeat itself.
Because now the International Energy Agency (IEA) has proposed similar measures to mitigate the oil shock after the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the embargo on Russian crude oil. According to the IEA, western economies could cut daily oil demand by 2.7 million barrels in four months by restricting driving. This would mean that the reduction in speed on the highways could almost offset the loss of 3 million barrels a day of Russian production in April.
“These efforts would ease the price pain felt by consumers around the world, mitigate the economic damage, shrink Russia’s hydrocarbon revenues and help put oil demand on a more sustainable path,” so die IEA. The IEA has unveiled a ten-point action plan it hopes western countries will implement to curb oil demand.
- Reduction of the speed limits on motorways by at least 10 km/h – Effects: Saving of approx. 290 kb/d oil consumption for cars and another 140 kb/d for trucks
- If possible, work from home up to three days a week – Impact: One day a week saves around 170 kb/d; three days save around 500 kb/d
- Car-free Sundays in cities – Impact: Every Sunday saves around 380 kbit/s; one Sunday a month saves 95 kb/s
- Making public transport cheaper and incentivising micromobility, walking and cycling – Impact: savings of around 330 kb/d
- Alternative access for private vehicles to streets in major cities – Impact: Saving of around 210 kb/d
- Promotion of car sharing and introduction of practices to reduce fuel consumption – Impact: saving of around 470 kb/d
- Encourage efficient truck driving and delivery of goods – Impact: Saving of around 320 kb/d
- Use of high-speed and night trains instead of airplanes where possible – impact: saving of around 40 kb/d
- Avoidance of business flights if there are alternatives – Impact: Savings of around 260 kb/d
- Increased adoption of electric vehicles and more efficient vehicles – Impact: Savings of around 100 kb/d
Price controls are also increasingly being discussed. Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said Friday that price controls could be coming to natural gas markets, likely meaning petrol is next. Italy already has one 4.4 billion euro program launched to keep energy prices under control.
After the restrictions imposed by the Covid lockdowns, these could be the next coercive measures that politicians are using to harass the population. Also with the aim of working towards the “Great Reset”, which also includes a move away from hydrocarbons for energy production. Because once implemented, such measures are only withdrawn to a limited extent – similar to the introduction of “summer time” at that time, which is still the subject of discussions today.
