Europe approves plan to reduce gas consumption by 15% during winter, residents worried

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European Union energy ministers approved a weakened emergency plan to curb their gas demand by 15 per cent from August to March 2023 after striking compromise deals to limit the cuts for some countries, as they brace for further Russian reductions in supply.

Europe faces an increased gas squeeze since Wednesday when Russia's Gazprom has said it would cut flows through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline to Germany to a fifth of capacity.

On the streets of Munich in Germany, people like Leopold Von Brookman are already concerned about the coming winter amid the gas supply cuts.

"It (the gas cuts) affects everything, completely, totally. The hospitals are partly heated with gas, the public facilities, that is fatal. And there are actually no alternatives where you can get gas at the moment,” he said.

In Italy, despite the heat of summer, Romans too were worried about the price of energy this winter, with some wondering whether their politicians were up to the challenge.

“I am a bit worried for the whole world. Prices are increasing, people are trying to live a normal life as much as they can, but it is becoming increasingly more difficult, the increasing prices, the war, with everything that is happening. We hope that the Italian government and all the governments in Europe can work together to find a solution that can properly work for the people,” said 28-year-old Nora Neil.