The Dutch are filling gas wells with cement

The Netherlands is permanently sealing its massive Groningen gas field with cement, destroying 70 of 300 wells so far. The field, once Europe's largest, still holds twice the gas the EU imported from Russia since 2022, worth around €200 billion. The move aims to prevent future governments from restarting production, prioritizing the concerns of local residents over national and European interests. This act of 'institutional vandalism' highlights a broader trend of governments deliberately reducing their own options, as seen in Germany's nuclear phase-out.