by GEF
Greening the European economy from vision to action
Published in Policies on July 2, 2010
European Policy Centre – Policy Briefing, 29 June 2010
The 21st century will see an increasing global competition for resources, so Europe needs
to become far more ‘resource-efficient’ said Janez Potočnik, European Commissioner for
the Environment, at an EPC Policy Briefing. Europe depends for its livelihood on
importing energy resources, so saving resources will make it more competitive as well as
cutting greenhouse gas emissions. Europe is good at reactive policies, but weak at being
proactive, so in addition to introducing regulations to protect the environment, it needs
to provide incentives, and targets to help businesses become ‘green’.
Read full document here.
Yes,hope EU will really achieve some goals on green economy instead of using rethoric all the time as it was during the Lisbon Strategy which it was also supposed to focus on green sustainability….
Though, it should be marked that not all countries have possibility to use green energy in an equally extensive manner. Whether it’s applicable or not is a matter of climate (solar energy), lay of the land (hydroelectricity) or geologic issues (geothermal energy).
That’s why, European electrical interconnections are so important, in order to mutualize renewable resources and to develop big projects. The goal is called “Super Smart Grid”, with more cross-border links and a network of HVDC – High Voltage Direct Current – links under the North Sea (for wind power) and the Mediterranean Sea (for solar power). Europe has its “Priority Interconnector Plan”, but it’s very hard and long to develop this kind of projects.
For example, electrical cars are interesting if electricity is not produced by fossil energy… Let’s build this Super Smart Grid!