The Nord Stream 2 pipeline is playing a growing role in Russia’s energy influence in Europe. As the European energy crunch has intensified, Russia has not increased its supply to meet the region’s demand, in a move that many experts have interpreted as a form of “energy blackmail.” Increasing reliance on Moscow is not only a geopolitical danger — the increase of demand for fossil fuels also poses a serious threat to climate goals. For years, the United States has stood in strong opposition to the construction and then opening of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which runs under the Baltic Sea to directly connect Germany, and thereby the greater European Union (EU) to Russia’s considerable natural gas reserves. While the $11 billion pipeline itself is finished, it has yet to come online thanks to setbacks related to the extremely controversial nature of its construction. Proponents of the pipeline […]