Les politiques européennes sur l'énergie et le climat : de l'énergie dépensée en vain?[en] 

[The following is reproduced with permission from the EPC.]

Amid the clamour for action on energy and climate change – and all the talk about increasing the share of renewables in the energy mix, 'unbundling' Europe's energy giants and upgrading the Emissions Trading Scheme – EU policymakers are in danger of missing an obvious trick.

Energy efficiency is a distinctly unglamorous subject: it tends to focus on small changes to individual behaviour and few people believe that changing their lightbulbs or having the right tyre pressure will save the world. 

But the reality is that a more rational use of energy can significantly contribute to meeting the ambitious climate change and energy security targets EU leaders set themselves 12 months ago. Indeed, without this, it will be impossible to make the progress needed, especially in the short term. 

Incentives are needed to change consumer behaviour and encourage consumption patterns which have less impact on our energy and environmental 'bills'. Energy users also need to be made more aware of the impact of their consumption on the planet. The public sector must act as an example and driver for energy efficiency, and companies and individuals must be given the right incentives and standards to make the upfront investments required.

But this does not require dramatic changes in our lifestyles. Rather, it is about eliminating unnecessary or wasteful energy use – and it can be a win-win situation. Europe can also derive significant economic gains from developing a competitive advantage in energy-efficient products, stimulating growth and creating jobs. 

This has already been understood by most economies around the globe, with many investing heavily in green technologies. As oil prices reach record highs, such technologies have found many clients worldwide, particularly in fast-growing economies. To take just two examples: in 2006, China set out plans to reduce the amount of energy it uses compared to its GDP by 20% by 2010; and energy conservation measures are being taken on board in India, where the finance ministry is considering reducing excise duties on energy-efficient appliances.

But it is also about security. The European Commission estimates that, by 2030, the EU will import about 70% of its total energy needs - a significant jump from the current 50%. Europe is not alone in this: most economies will see their reliance on external energy soar, which is likely to increase geopolitical tensions around the world.

Global efforts to improve energy efficiency are increasing, but this has not been a priority in Europe recently and the pace of energy-efficiency improvements appears to have stalled. So what is holding Europe back?

When it comes to energy efficiency policies, there are no clear competences at EU or national level. As a consequence, no one is taking the lead on this issue. 

The lack of a comprehensive policy in Europe also means energy-efficient behaviour is not promoted and rewarded sufficiently. Until this is done, it will be difficult to enjoy the benefits which would result from a widespread take-up of green technologies and large-scale production: namely, lower prices for products without any loss of quality.

In a globalised economy, competitiveness will increasingly be determined by our economies' capacity to manage their energy needs. To protect our environment, hedge against the negative effects of an increasingly aggressive battle for energy sources worldwide and ensure Europe remains a competitive player in the 'green' economy, EU decision-makers must ensure that energy efficiency policy is not overlooked amid all the other, more headline-grabbing initiatives to be discussed at this month's EU Summit.

* Marie-Hélène Fandel is a Policy Analyst at the European Policy Centre. She is co-author, with EPC Senior Policy Analyst Fabian Zuleeg, of an EPC Working Paper, 'Gain without pain: towards a more rational use of energy', published on 5 March, which reflects the work done by its Task Force on this issue over the past year. Copies can be obtained from the EPC's website:  www.epc.eu