the cost of a shipping container has slumped since last year. is it a warning sign of a global recession on the horizon? well, we start here in the uk, if you can see me, i am at a slight distance. i m going to sit back down. the cameras aren t playing with us nicely this morning, so let s sit back down and we will start the programme again. let s pretend that didn t happen, shall we? 0k. welcome to the programme. we start in the uk whether has lodged a controversial new push for oil and gas exploration in the north sea. nearly 900 blocks are offered exploration with as many as 100 licences to be awarded. the government says it will burst energy security and support skilled jobs. but the decision is at odds with international climate scientists who say fossil fuel projects should be closed down, not expanded. it comes as households are warned they could face a rolling electricity blackouts this winter if problems with gas suppliers deteriorate further. national grid, overseei
buildings and switching off shop window lights at night. let s talk to ana maria, an analyst with institute for energy economics and financial analysts is. it s good to have you. how were prepare do you think the eu is for the winter and the potential pinch on gas and the potential pinch on gas and alleges that he supplies? it s very difficult to predict how ill prepared europe is because there are so many other factors affected right now. this is a global crisis so everything that happens globally is affected, the energy and gas industry in europe, for example, the supplies of lng, and japan offered loans to the utility to be able to secure energy, so immediately the price went up. all those things immediately affect europe. if there is a