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To reduce their dependence on expensive imported energy, many European countries are resuming domestic oil and gas exploration. However, this conflicts with the EU’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, and the large-scale LNG procurement agreements reached with the United States further hinder energy diversification. Under the triple pressure of energy autonomy, climate responsibilities, and economic realities, Europe’s energy strategy faces difficult choices in how to ensure current supply security without deviating from the path toward carbon neutrality. Restarting domestic exploration to reduce dependence on imports: Faced with continuously high energy prices and geopolitical supply risks, Europe is reevaluating its energy strategy. Greece has recently issued its first offshore oil and gas exploration licenses to companies such as ExxonMobil; the areas in the Ionian Sea are estimated to contain up to 200 billion cubic meters of natural gas. The Italian government is also considering resuming offshore exploration, which was suspended in 2019. The UK has relaxed the new exploration ban in the North Sea and plans to approve the exploration of two new oil fields within a few months. Furthermore, the new discoveries in Poland, along with Norway’s national oil company’s plan to drill 250 exploration wells over the next decade, both indicate Europe’s emphasis on increasing its domestic energy supply. Behind this series of actions lies Europe’s deep dependence on imported natural gas. Data shows that the EU currently relies on imports for 85% of its natural gas consumption, with the United States being its largest supplier – meeting approximately 16.5% of the EU’s total gas needs. As the EU plans to gradually ban Russian natural gas after 2027, it is expected that U.S. LNG will account for around 70% of Europe’s LNG imports between 2026 and 2029. However, this dependence comes at a high cost. Over the past 3 years, the EU’s LNG imports amounted to around 225 billion euros, of which 100 billion euros was spent on LNG imported from the United States, a figure significantly higher than that for other sources of supply. Energy security conflicts with climate goals. Although developing domestic resources helps enhance energy independence and may reduce energy costs, it conflicts with Europe’s goals for a green transition. The EU and the UK have committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, and have set a goal of reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2040 compared to 1990 levels. Massive investment in new fossil fuel projects, particularly natural gas infrastructure, could affect the achievement of these climate goals. At the same time, this shift also creates an irreconcilable tension with the trade commitments made by the EU to the United States earlier this year. Under the agreement, the EU commits to purchasing $250 billion worth of U.S. energy products (mainly LNG) each year over the next 3 years. Analyses suggest that fulfilling this commitment would mean the EU having to tie around 70% of its energy imports to the United States, which runs counter to its efforts to diversify supplies and reduce dependence on the U.S. The deeper issue is that this trade agreement could trap Europe in a situation of long-term dependence: once large-scale LNG receiving stations and pipelines are built, Europe will be locked into a specific supply chain, with high conversion costs and infrastructure constraints accompanying any attempt to switch suppliers. Such structural dependence may weaken Europe’s autonomy in energy diplomacy, putting it at a more disadvantageous position in its relations with the United States. The U.S. faces a dilemma in its rapid expansion in Europe: while Europe is hesitating regarding its energy policy, the U.S. is expanding its LNG export capacity at an unprecedented pace. The U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has stated that it will accelerate the approval of related infrastructure. The U.S. Energy Information Administration predicts that if all planned projects are completed, the United States’ liquefaction capacity will double, securing its position as the world’s largest exporter of LNG. This trend of expansion puts Europe in a dilemma: on the one hand, U.S. LNG is a key source for replacing Russian energy and ensuring Europe’s short-term energy security, especially during the winter heating season and when renewable energy production is unstable; on the other hand, a long-term heavy reliance on it will undermine Europe’s energy independence and delay its fundamental transition to renewable energy. Not only that, but energy policies within Europe also lack unified coordination. Major economies such as Germany and France have different paces and focuses in their transition to renewable energy, and differences between Eastern and Western Europe regarding energy security and climate priorities persist. Such internal disparities may weaken Europe’s overall negotiating power, making it difficult for it to develop a unified strategy when facing energy powers like the United States. At the same time, although renewable energy has bright prospects, it is difficult to fully fill the supply gap left by natural gas in the short term, especially in heavy industry and heating sectors. This energy gap during the transition period forces Europe to face practical constraints in its decision-making, requiring it to find a balance between ideal climate goals and feasible energy supplies. The European energy strategy will face ongoing challenges in ensuring current supply security without deviating from the path to carbon neutrality.