RENEWABLE ENERGY: WHY THE WORLD SHOULD BE WATCHING THE EUROPEAN UNION BY MICHAEL LENAGHAN – 2012 JCURA WINNER Image Source:

The Single European Act acknowledged for the first time within the Treaty that the environmental concerns must be considered within all policy fields of the EEC. The 1998 Amsterdam Treaty established "Environmental Integration" (Article 6) as one of the EU's principle policy obligations, thereby requiring that environmental sustainability be considered within all EU policy fields. The EUs Road to Renewable Energy 1987 Single European Act 1987 Single European Act 1997 White Paper 1997 White Paper 1998 Amsterdam Treaty 1998 Amsterdam Treaty 2000 Green Paper 2000 Green Paper by by Renewables Directive 2009 Renewables Directive The White Paper for a Community Strategy and Action Plan identified renewable energy as a primary concern for the EU with regards to environmental and energy security and set a 2010 target to double the net share of renewable energy from 6-12% within the union. The Green Paper Towards a European strategy for the security of energy supply drew attention to the EUs growing dependence on foreign energy, predicting that with business as usual, energy imports would increase from 50% in 2000 to 70% by In March 2007, the European Council agreed to a binding commitment to achieve: 20% renewable energy penetration within the EU by % reduction in GHG emissions within the EU by % increase in overall energy efficiency within the EU by 2020 Directive 2009/28/EC established an implementation framework for achieving the EUs 2020 energy commitments by granting the Commission power to set binding renewable energy targets for each EU members states.

4 REASONS TO STUDY EU RENEWABLE ENERGY POLICY 1)THE EU IS GLOBAL LEADER IN RENEWABLE ENERGY DEVELOPMENT The EU is the world's largest economy with legally binding 20% RE targets. The EU has the fastest rate of RE penetration of any OECD member. The EUs ongoing success in, and commitment to RE means that Europe is overcoming common technical challenges (ex: transitioning from a traditional, centralized energy grid system, to a more decentralized one.)

Solar Farm - Valencia, Spain Tidal Turbine - Scottish CoastGeothermal Plant - Larderello, ItalyBiomass Heating Plant - Vienna, Aus. Almendra Dam - Salamanca, Spain Wind Farm - Danish Coast. 4 REASONS TO STUDY EU RENEWABLE ENERGY POLICY 2) THE EU HAS EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE DEVELOPING A WIDE RANGE OF RE SYSTEMS Large Land Base + Diverse RE Resources + High Energy Demand = A Global Testing Ground For Renewable Energy Technology

4 REASONS TO STUDY EU RENEWABLE ENERGY POLICY 3) THE EU HAS EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE DEVELOPING A WIDE RANGE OF RE POLICIES DIVERSITY OF POLICY INSTRUMENTS REFITS -Renewable Energy Feed-in- Tariffs Research & Development Consumers Policy Tender System Green Certificates Subsidies guarantee fixed price for renewable energy enables safe, long-term investments the most common RE policy instruments in the EU. the EU is a global leader in RE R&D. each EU member state is required to have its own national RE R&D program with the creation of the Research Framework Programmes in the 1980s, RE R&D has become a major focus at the EU level educational programs eco-labelling schemes consumer rebates Negative subsidies include trade restrictions, market-access limitations and reducing or removing the traditionally energy subsidies. Positive subsidies include investment support schemes, low-interest loans, tax exemptions, rebates and price controls. a quota system that requires energy producers, suppliers and consumers to use a certain share of renewable energy secure competitive private sector contracts

4 REASONS TO STUDY EU RENEWABLE ENERGY POLICY THE RE SECTOR IS ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING INDUSTRIES IN THE EU: 200,000 employed 10 billion Euros a year Germany's PV industry grew by roughly 235% in 2004 The Danish wind turbine industry employs more people than the entire national electricity sector. 4) THE EU IS A REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE OF A BURGEONING GREEN ENERGY ECONOMY THE EUS RE SECTOR INCLUDES A THRIVING EXPORT INDUSTRY Finland, Sweden and Austria, are leading exporters of biomass technology and equipment world- wide In 2005 roughly 90% of installed world wind-energy capacity was manufactured in Europe.

CANADIAN PARLIAMENT - OTTAWA EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT – STRASBOURG, AUS CANADA & THE EU: COMMON CHALLENGES ON A BIGGER SCALE 1)FEDERALISM 2)MULTICULTURALISM 3)DISPARITIES IN ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN AND ACTION TAR SANDS - ALBERTA ELEKTROWNIA BELCHATOW COAL POWER PLANT - POLAND

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