After Cancún pp 111-124 | Cite as

Greening the Economy in the European Union

  • Achim Brunnengräber
Chapter

Abstract

In order to harmonise its climate and energy policies, the European Commission (EC) has set itself ambitious goals which do not lack determination. In order to counteract the political and economic risks involved in the dependence of the European Union (EU) on energy imports, the EC wishes to start a new industrial revolution. Low-carbon growth is to be accelerated, own energy production dramatically increased and competitiveness maximised. This is to be achieved by increasing the share of renewable energies in total energy consumption by 20% and reducing CO2 emissions by 20%, both by 2020. The EU wishes to be a pioneer and model for sustainable development in the 21st century. Europe’s agreement on precise, legally binding targets symbolises its determination to reconcile climate policy and energy policy. The Commission wishes to shape the Europe of 2050. In the view of the EU, the success of this enterprise will depend not least on how respectfully we treat the world around us. This is set out in the strategy papers of the European Union (European Commission 2007: An Energy Policy for Europe; European Commission 2008a: 20 20 by 2020. Europe’s climate change opportunity).

Keywords

European Union Renewable Energy Clean Development Mechanism Climate Policy Energy Policy 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Copyright information

© VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften | Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden GmbH 2011

Authors and Affiliations

  • Achim Brunnengräber
    • 1
  1. 1.Chair for International Politics, and Associated Professor (Privatdoz-ent) in Political Science at the Free University BerlinTechnische Universität DresdenBerlin

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