The European Parliament called for a “tangible phase-out of fossil fuels as soon as possible,” ahead of the United Nations climate summit that gets underway in Dubai on Thursday.

However, slow economic growth and rising inflation has left European governments delaying the transition from fossil fuels to renewables.

European Union (EU) member states are free to determine their energy mix, and there can be a transitional role for gas as the EU pursues other energy sources, according to the European Commission (EC). Most of Europe continues to count on LNG and natural gas pipeline imports to meet its energy demand.

“Even in a net-zero scenario, certain volumes of gas will still be needed in 2050, although we clearly expect its role in the EU energy mix to decline...