More solidarity, more energy

COMECE’s Social Commission meets once a year under the presidency of Cardinal Reinhard Marx, archbishop of Munich and Freising. The session of September 28-29 in Warsaw was partly dedicated to the roadmap for energy that the European Union plans to adopt in view of 2050. It was pointed out that the energy policy of the European Union is currently far from being conducted ‘in a spirit of solidarity’, conversely from what is provided for in the Lisbon Treaty. Once more, economic and financial issues are prevailing items on the agenda of the next European Council, along with the debate on the adoption of a common policy in the next United Nations Conference on Climate Change, scheduled to take place in Durban from November 28 to December 9. It will be crucial for the European Council to confirm EU funding shares for the implementation of Developing Countries’ measures to combat climate change. It is envisaged that by 2020, 100 billion dollars per year will have to be disbursed for poor countries. However, the fight on climate change doesn’t only envisage external action. A communication published by the European Commission past March outlined the guidelines for the establishment, by 2050, of a low carbon economy, with the target of an 80% – 95% reduction in greenhouse gases. For the transport sector, this objective has been best described in a White Paper that proposes a 60% emissions decrease. A few weeks ago, the Commission adopted a roadmap for a more efficient use of resources in view of 2050 that stipulates, in particular, the adoption of initiatives for the improvement of the recycling of 2.7 billion tons of waste produced each year in the European Union. Finally, to complete the effort of defining short and long term objectives at the end of the year (probably November 24) the Commission will present a roadmap on energy, that is expected to propose scenarios for the reduction of over 90% of emissions in the energy sector. It can be imagined that the share of fossil fuels (oil and gas) will pass from 70% of the energy mix of Europe in 2020 to 30-40% with more economic and clean technologies, notably to capture carbon dioxide. The quota of nuclear energy might remain stable at approximately 10%, while the quota of renewables could increase from 20% in 2020 to 50-50% in 2050. The wind and the sun are the most promising sources of renewable energies. However the irregular feature of this power and the problem of stockpiling the electricity thus produced are still unsolved knots. Large-scale projects are being examined, such as Desertec, the solar power in the Sahara, whose target is to supply in full-swing activity 15% of Europe’s electricity via power lines running across the desert and under the Mediterranean. The other approach is based on a much more decentralized approach. Moreover, the preparations for an energy roadmap are difficult, as the members of COMECE Social Commission ascertained during their annual reunion of September 28-29 in Warsaw. While the Lisbon Treaty stipulates the development of European energy policy ‘in a spirit of solidarity’, under the superficial coating of communication the debate on the next European Commission document at the Council of Ministers could become very lively if the ministers decide to reaffirm national sovereignty in the composition of the energy package and in the relations with energy-supplying countries. Indeed, all member States and notably the largest states, make their own strategic choices – for example, as relates to nuclear energy – without agreement with their partners, while energy transport infrastructures between countries are still insufficient. The problem of financing an intelligent European pipeline hasn’t been solved yet. Out governments thus agree that energy policies should repose on the three pillars of competitiveness, sustainable development and the security of energy supply. However this unity facade conceals oppositions that will only be solved once the solidarity on energy sources is recognized as a primary need and not just as an item of the Treaty. The Church, the Bishops’ Conferences and the various movements can contribute to this acknowledgement, taking into account a roadmap for boosting solidarity in the energy sector.