This weekend sees the first of three sessions of the European Citizens’ Energy Efficiency Panel in Brussels with 150 European citizens discussing how energy may be used in the EU and how the energy system should change. Participants are focusing on different aspects of energy efficiency that consumers might encounter at home, in communities or in the workplace. The participating citizens are discussing how individuals, communities, the public and private sector and others can become more energy efficient in ways that make the most impact on the climate, economy, jobs, health and energy bills. According to the Commission’s website, the Panel will make recommendations to feed into upcoming EU initiatives such as the “Energy Efficiency First” principle. The EC plans to publish its first ever proposal for a Recommendation on the “Energy Efficiency First” principle later in 2024. The second session will be held on-line in March, followed by the final session in Brussels in April. We all wish them well and look forward to seeing their recommendations.
A recent report by the Institute for Climate Economics (I4CE) calculates that for the EU to reach the 2030 climate goal alone (cut emissions by 55 per cent, compared to 1990 levels) will require €813bn per year between 2024 and 2030 — or 5.1 per cent of the EU’s GDP. Note that spending in 2022, the latest year for which there is complete data, was €407bn, significantly below what is required from now to the end of the decade. “EU policymakers urgently need to better assess and address the EU climate investment deficit, or risk seeing the Green Deal failing to deliver all the economic, social and environmental promises it contains,” the group said.
Rod’s latest blog on decarbonising industry has been published on the EEIP website. Let us know your views.
In upcoming weeks there are two events not to miss. In early March there is the European Energy Efficiency Conference which is part of World Sustainable Energy Days. In June, eceee holds its biannual summer study. Check out details on the two events here.
In planning travel over the upcoming weeks, here is some useful news to help you along:
- The inews website provides Europe’s most exciting new rail routes for 2024.
- For winter walking, the Responsible Travel website gives you many interesting options.
- The EuroBikes website describes winter cycling tours.
- There is always the option of virtual tourism at the Xplore Nature Channel that EiD first promoted back in September. There are now 129 videos. Find out more about the channel here.
EiD welcomes your views about this week’s selection of posts on the zero-carbon energy transition:
- New EEA briefing on initiatives taken in Europe on waste management and circular economy
- How to deliver the COP 29 energy efficiency target
- NATO’s commitment to overcoming the challenges of energy efficiency and sustainability in military operations
- State-owned energy firms that search for, produce and refine fossil fuels are among the most polluting organisations in the world
- How industry can be more sustainable
- Research into the heat-mitigating effects of green spaces during heatwaves has found that botanical gardens are the most effective
- New development in Ottawa-Gatineau using industrial waste to keep their homes warm
- Meeting Hannah Ritchie: the ‘techno-realist’ discusses climate change
Please send your comments on any of the posts. Please follow us on X at @EnergyDemand and @rodjanssen. Please recommend EiD to your friends and colleagues.
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Energy in Demand - Sustainable Energy - Rod Janssen 