European Union
1
COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Fourteenth Session, New York, 01 ? 12 May 2006
Delivered version, 03 May 2006
ENERGY FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Meeting growing needs for energy services through increased use of renewable
energy, greater reliance on advanced energy technologies, including advanced and
fossil fuel technologies
· The recent year?s geopolitical developments and surging energy prices have shown that
the short-term risks to security of energy supply are growing while at the same time
energy demand is constantly increasing. The world?s vulnerability to supply disruptions
will increase as international trade expands, and flexibility of oil demand and supply will
diminish. Energy expenditure will occupy a still larger share of the economy, especially in
countries lacking own energy resources.
· The different energy-related challenges are unevenly distributed among countries.
Diversified challenges and circumstances require site-specific and custom-made
solutions. There is a profound need for flexible and pragmatic approaches while adhering
to common goals and commitments. We therefore recognize that countries and regions
experience different challenges and opportunities, which must be taken into consideration
in any global assessment of impleme ntation. The EU believes every country, depending
on its specific situation regarding energy production and consumption, should make its
energy portfolio more sustainable and more efficient.
· The EU believes that a momentum for serious actions by governments has materialised
due to the convergence of steep rises in oil prices and an increasing political readiness to
acknowledge the challenge at hand and the socio-economic consequences of inaction.
Energy efficiency as well as security of supply is now place d higher on the agenda than
at any time since the seventies due to its simultaneous impact on carbon emissions and
industrial competitiveness.
· We must strive towards lesser dependency on fossil fuels on a global scale. In the
European Union we have achieved some success in pursuing a shift towards increased
use of renewable energy, which not only contributes positively to decoupling CO2
emissions from economic growth, but also realising direct economic gains for households
and business applying such tech nologies.
· The European Commission has recently estimated an EU energy saving potential of 20%
by 2020, taking into account measures already implemented by EU member states and
proposals for a series of additional measures at national or EU-level. In addition, the EU
is considering raising the share of renewable energies to the level of 15% by 2015 and to
raise the proportion of biofuels, considering a target of 8%.
· The trend towards convergent energy priorities by governments is reflected in numerous
initiatives since the WSSD in Johannesburg. Many such initiatives at the national and
multilateral level deserve praise and mentioning. Among these are the UN-Energy
providing a possible framework for assisting governments in national policy making; The
Marrakech process on sustainable Consumption and Production with it?s many initiatives
related to sustainable energy production and consumption; the 39 WSSD energy
partnership with their array of bilateral, regional and multilateral initiatives; the Bonn
renewable 2004 conference and it?s resulting declaration and action programme; the
Beijing International Renewable Energy Conferences 2005 commitments towards
increasing the global share of renewable; the Johannesburg Renewable Energy
Coalition?s promotion of renewable energy through cooperative efforts, and finally the G8
Gleneagles Plan of Action on Climate change, clean energy and sustainable
development.
· The Johannesburg Renewable Energy Coalition has been instrumental in enhancing the
dialogue and common un derstanding on the potential of and barriers to be overcome in
the area of renewable energy. JREC is chaired jointly by the European Commission and
Morocco, and has grown from 66 to 91 countries, 57 of which are developing countries.
Together we have supported the Bonn 2004 and Beijing 2005 renewable energy
conferences, and are now working on concrete proposals for action for CSD15 in the
policy and finance area, for example with a patient capital fund for renewable energy
projects.
· Support to panellist Suani Teixeira Coelho for highlighting lack of information and
importance of dissemination of technologies and support to Brazil in relation to southsouth
cooperation
*****
COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Fourteenth Session, New York, 01 ? 12 May 2006
Delivered version, 03 May 2006
ENERGY FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Meeting growing needs for energy services through increased use of renewable
energy, greater reliance on advanced energy technologies, including advanced and
fossil fuel technologies
· The recent year?s geopolitical developments and surging energy prices have shown that
the short-term risks to security of energy supply are growing while at the same time
energy demand is constantly increasing. The world?s vulnerability to supply disruptions
will increase as international trade expands, and flexibility of oil demand and supply will
diminish. Energy expenditure will occupy a still larger share of the economy, especially in
countries lacking own energy resources.
· The different energy-related challenges are unevenly distributed among countries.
Diversified challenges and circumstances require site-specific and custom-made
solutions. There is a profound need for flexible and pragmatic approaches while adhering
to common goals and commitments. We therefore recognize that countries and regions
experience different challenges and opportunities, which must be taken into consideration
in any global assessment of impleme ntation. The EU believes every country, depending
on its specific situation regarding energy production and consumption, should make its
energy portfolio more sustainable and more efficient.
· The EU believes that a momentum for serious actions by governments has materialised
due to the convergence of steep rises in oil prices and an increasing political readiness to
acknowledge the challenge at hand and the socio-economic consequences of inaction.
Energy efficiency as well as security of supply is now place d higher on the agenda than
at any time since the seventies due to its simultaneous impact on carbon emissions and
industrial competitiveness.
· We must strive towards lesser dependency on fossil fuels on a global scale. In the
European Union we have achieved some success in pursuing a shift towards increased
use of renewable energy, which not only contributes positively to decoupling CO2
emissions from economic growth, but also realising direct economic gains for households
and business applying such tech nologies.
· The European Commission has recently estimated an EU energy saving potential of 20%
by 2020, taking into account measures already implemented by EU member states and
proposals for a series of additional measures at national or EU-level. In addition, the EU
is considering raising the share of renewable energies to the level of 15% by 2015 and to
raise the proportion of biofuels, considering a target of 8%.
· The trend towards convergent energy priorities by governments is reflected in numerous
initiatives since the WSSD in Johannesburg. Many such initiatives at the national and
multilateral level deserve praise and mentioning. Among these are the UN-Energy
providing a possible framework for assisting governments in national policy making; The
Marrakech process on sustainable Consumption and Production with it?s many initiatives
related to sustainable energy production and consumption; the 39 WSSD energy
partnership with their array of bilateral, regional and multilateral initiatives; the Bonn
renewable 2004 conference and it?s resulting declaration and action programme; the
Beijing International Renewable Energy Conferences 2005 commitments towards
increasing the global share of renewable; the Johannesburg Renewable Energy
Coalition?s promotion of renewable energy through cooperative efforts, and finally the G8
Gleneagles Plan of Action on Climate change, clean energy and sustainable
development.
· The Johannesburg Renewable Energy Coalition has been instrumental in enhancing the
dialogue and common un derstanding on the potential of and barriers to be overcome in
the area of renewable energy. JREC is chaired jointly by the European Commission and
Morocco, and has grown from 66 to 91 countries, 57 of which are developing countries.
Together we have supported the Bonn 2004 and Beijing 2005 renewable energy
conferences, and are now working on concrete proposals for action for CSD15 in the
policy and finance area, for example with a patient capital fund for renewable energy
projects.
· Support to panellist Suani Teixeira Coelho for highlighting lack of information and
importance of dissemination of technologies and support to Brazil in relation to southsouth
cooperation
*****