Desperate times call for desperate measures.
With the galloping rise in energy prices and, consequently, energy for end-users in many countries of the old world, TikTok users have found a rather original solution to the problem.
Using the hashtags like #winter and #energycrisis, netizens from the UK, Czech Republic, Germany and Croatia have leaned on James Blunt's sad track "Goodbye My Lover" to bid farewell to the home comforts ahead of the coming winter: be it hot radiators, electric kettles or a heated towel rail.
In the majority of the viral videos, TikTok users are unplugging electrical appliances and switching to candles for lighting, some even opting for serving of instant noodles for dinner.
"I've already told my teenager that the flat will be heated by candles this winter...and only half joking," one user from the UK wrote in the comments to the last video.
"The heat will be used very sparingly. It's frightening. I cannot imagine what it will be like for anyone who lives on benefits. There will be a lot of OAP's and other vulnerable people in poverty this winter."
10 September 2022, 10:06 GMT
In one of the videos, even a fluffy cat was jokingly given the boot amid the energy crisis.
While natural gas prices break all records amid the Nord Stream shutdown, Gergely Gulyas, the head of the Hungarian Prime Minister's Office, announced on Thursday that each citizen of Hungary will receive 10 cubic meters of firewood at fixed pricing and will be able to purchase it directly from forestry. Gulyas noted the government also gave public institutions, with the exception of hospitals and social institutions, the order to cut their gas usage by 25%.
Earlier this month, the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, endorsed a possible price ceiling on imported Russian gas as a solution to Europe's soaring energy costs. Prior to that, numerous EU ministers of energy demanded restrictions on the price and other supplies of the fuel to the bloc, as the European Commission studied the possibility of setting a price cap on liquefied natural gas.
The price restriction for crude oil is expected to go into effect on December 5 and for Russian-origin refined products on February 5, 2023. In response, Moscow promised to halt the export of Russian oil to the nations that would implement restrictions.
Gas prices continue to be under pressure due to the uncertainty of supplies from Russia. The latest explosive growth at the end of August was associated with Gazprom's announcement that the Nord Stream gas pipeline was suspended for three days for scheduled maintenance. Quotes jumped above $3,500 per thousand cubic meters, and updated historical records of the price several times.
On Friday, Gazprom announced a complete shutdown of the gas pipeline to Europe due to an oil leak detected at the only operating Trent 60 unit.
Following the start of the Russian special military operation in Ukraine, gas prices in Europe experienced historical highs for four days in a row in March over fears of a ban on the import of Russian energy resources. The price record of $3,892 per thousand cubic meters was reached on March 7.
Also on Friday, European Commissioner for Economy Paolo Gentiloni confirmed the commission would introduce new proposals on the bloc's energy import measures on September 13 to address the current energy crisis.
"It is very important that next Tuesday the commission will come finally with proposals to deal with the energy emergency, and this I think will be a big contribution to the overall economic situation," Gentiloni said ahead of the informal ECOFIN meeting in Prague.
"It is very important that next Tuesday the commission will come finally with proposals to deal with the energy emergency, and this I think will be a big contribution to the overall economic situation," Gentiloni said ahead of the informal ECOFIN meeting in Prague.