Europe’s increased gas purchases make it harder for developing countries to access gas, which could cause serious potential energy problems for them in the coming years, Bloomberg reported.

“Markets in developing countries won’t be able to meet their gas needs – today or tomorrow. The most likely consequences such as factory closures, more frequent and prolonged power outages, and social unrest could extend into the next decade,” the agency noted.

“Europe’s worries about its energy security are leading to energy poverty in the developing world. Europe is sucking gas from other countries for whatever it’s worth,” commented Saul Kavonic, an analyst with Credit Suisse Group (SIX:CSGN) AG.

Because of this crisis, a number of gas suppliers to South Asia have already canceled long-planned deliveries and switched to more profitable markets. Meanwhile, Germany, Italy and Finland have terminals to receive liquefied natural gas (LNG); the Netherlands began re-exporting LNG in September, and Bloomberg estimates that by 2026 the demand for gas in Europe will increase by about 60%.

The agency notes that in an energy crisis for the first time, countries like Pakistan, Thailand and Bangladesh will have to compete for gas supplies with Germany and other states whose economies are several times larger than those of these developing countries.

“We are borrowing the energy reserves of other nations. It’s not a great achievement,” said Russell Hardy, head of the Vitol Group.

Because of the energy crisis, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Thailand have previously had trouble negotiating new gas contracts. But developing countries can either turn to cheaper energy sources like coal and oil or start extracting resources on their own territory.

“If you can’t afford gas, you have to go back to coal to the extent that you need it for a basic level of electricity generation. And that level cannot be achieved by solar or wind power alone,” Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in October.

South American countries such as Brazil or Argentina are somewhat better off, thanks to hydropower. But Brazil, too, will have to resort to LNG imports again if the rainy season starts later this year, which has already increased this year.

Earlier we reported that the EU recession is already inevitable.