Global & European Dynamics’ Post

#energycitizenship Yesterday I participated in the final conference of 4 EU projects on energy citizenship in Brussels. For those unfamiliar with the concept: energy citizenship pertains to citizen engagement and involvement in energy transitions and the rights and responsibilities of citizens to that end. Engagement includes voting and voicing that more should be done about climate change and carbon-reducing forms of consumption and production. Such actions may unintentionally deepen cultural divides between green cosmopolitans and others in a time in which experts and governments are distrusted by a substantial part of the populace. The socio-institutional dynamics of energy citizenship are the topic of a paper led by Bonno Pel for the #EnergyPROSPECTS project. 

📢 The European Alliance to Save Energy (EU-ASE), together with over 400 cross-sector organisations calls on EU leaders to confirm the Green Deal as a strategic priority in the next EU mandate.     ✅ The EU Green Deal is the foundation of a competitive, secure and #energyefficient Europe.    Signatories from diverse economic sectors collectively call on EU leaders to advance the EU Green Deal, emphasizing that it is the best approach to boost Europe's #competitiveness and prosperity, and to provide clarity and stability for businesses and citizens throughout #Europe 🌍     Read the full joint statement here 👉  https://lnkd.in/ePbQtgEe #GreenDealforEU

In light of the ongoing election processes in #Moldova, #Georgia, and the region, it's worth considering what the European Union's enlargement process would mean for the energy transition of these prospective member states and the #EU. Camille Defard and I raised some of these critical questions in our recent Euractiv op-ed. #EUenlargement #EuropeanUnion #EnergyTransition https://lnkd.in/daQ7iWYe

⛈ The EU’s climate agenda is in trouble. The Green Deal had started off promisingly after several major pieces of legislation were adopted, including its ban on the sale of new combustion-powered vehicles from 2035 and carbon border tax. Increasingly, however, Europeans are rebelling against green restrictions of which they have difficulty seeing the advantages. Another less reported upon but equally important threat to the bloc’s ecological and energy transition comes from the alarming number of Chinese and US companies moving into the EU power sector. In our book, "Energy: How to Recover Our European Ambition" (published in French, https://lnkd.in/eJyVXTMu), Patrick Criqui, Michel Derdevet and myself shed light on this overlooked issue ahead of European elections that will be critical for the EU’s energy strategy and call on the bloc to carefully weigh up cooperation and competition with sovereignty. We offer in this short article a glimpse of our book in English! 👇 Thanks a lot to Natalie Sauer and Leighton Walter Kille for their help in editing!

Think Tank #Reports Warns of Impending Energy #Crisis in #Western #balkans The power sector in the Western Balkans is facing a critical juncture, characterized by outdated #Infrastructure, environmental non-compliance, and #geopolitical tensions. This #research, conducted in collaboration with the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies, examines the multifaceted challenges confronting the region’s energy landscape and proposes strategic solutions to mitigate the looming crisis. #thinktankjournal #thinktank European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) #EURO2024 European Parliament European Union Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM) Europe 1

The EU Green Deal is the foundation of a secure, modern and efficient Europe. It is the best strategy for ensuring Europe's competitiveness and prosperity, providing much-needed clarity and stability to EU citizens. Over 400 cross-sector organisations call for EU leaders to confirm the Green Deal as a strategic priority for the next mandate. Let's not gamble with our future. Read the joint statement here: https://lnkd.in/dwabKkTY SolarPower Europe #GreenDealforEU

⚡ Today, EUASE and its members had a productive meeting with Mr. Adam Romanowski and Mr. Dino Toljan from Cabinet VP Šefčovič to discuss #energyefficiency in alignment with the policy asks outlined in our Manifesto, as well as the implementation and funding of the #GreenDeal. During the meeting, it was emphasized that to maintain the EU’s leadership in energy efficiency, the EE1st principle should be on top of our political agenda and serve as the primary driver for achieving the 2040 and 2050 goals. Energy efficiency not only is key for EU climate goals but also for our Union’s competitiveness. 🔝Another highlight is that a systemic approach to the energy system is essential, with a focus on sector integration while prioritizing energy efficiency at every step. This involves leveraging public and private financing and allocating available funding to energy efficiency. 🤝 EUASE’s industry members are ready to take action and support the implementation of the legislative framework of the European #GreenDeal and working on further cooperation with policy makers from EU institutions and Member States.

Sooner than this, and other reporting suggests, renewable energy, independence in even the smallest countries will result in the stranding of fossil fuels, and economies too busy for wars with old new friends enjoying peace and prosperity. #energytransition #peaceandprosperity

In a new Africa.Table article, Stefan Liebing argues, among other things, for the expansion of #CO2-reducing measures to take place primarily in #Africa and proposes further #opportunities for #cooperation in #energy #policy.

I had the privilege of attending an expert panel discussion on "The Role of China in Africa’s Just Energy Transition" hosted by The Wilson Center on September 9. The four experts, Gloria Majiga-Kamoto, Samantha Atukunda Kakuru Mwesigwa, Emmanuella Doreen K. and Mazi Choshane, all women, who are working to integrate environmental justice in Chinese overseas investments, particularly in mining and off-grid coal-fired power plants in South Africa, Ghana, Uganda, and Malawi, eloquently casted light on this pressing issue. Key takeaways: --Major projects funded by China may have significant environmental, human rights, and social implications, including land appropriation and ecological risks.  --An interesting paradox about China: Despite being a leading investor in renewable energy, China still heavily relies on coal mining to manufacture tools used in renewable energy sources. --China needs to do more to ensure that the energy transition preserves the fundamental rights and freedoms of affected communities and that no one is left behind. This requires strict compliance with the existing legal framework and a significant contribution to climate finance. --In addition to high-profile litigations in South Africa, some groundbreaking and commendable actions to highlight: 1) The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, notably in licensing, in Malawi, championed by the Center for Environmental Policy and Advocacy; and  2) The community-legal empowerment project in Uganda led by Greenwatch with the support of the Center for Transnational Environmental Accountability (CTEA), aims to ensure access to information, public participation, and access to justice. - The Wilson Center - Wilson Center | China Environment Forum - Wilson Center Africa Program Jennifer L. Turner - Center for Transnational Environmental Accountability JingJing Zhang 张兢兢 Zhang https://lnkd.in/eHFSZcCH