Europe's energy future
Energy issues are not yet sufficiently integrated in all EU policies. They are still largely determined by conflicting national approaches. Furthermore, the discourse barely includes the synergies and trade-offs between climate change and energy security. The EU-funded MILESECURE-2050 (Multidimensional impact of the low-carbon European strategy on energy security, and socio-economic dimension up to 2050 perspective) project suggested solutions. The consortium identified ways of achieving energy security and low-carbon usage, yet without undermining the wellbeing of EU citizens. The project addressed the political and behavioural inertia concerning European energy policy, thus diminishing the risk of an energy gap in coming decades. The consortium examined contemporary policies, trends and scenarios from national to worldwide scales. A trend's analysis included implications for economic growth. Researchers also evaluated the expected effects of energy transition at local levels. Other work involved identification of options and factors, including social aspects, affecting energy transition. The team developed and tested models showing the relationship between transition and social/individual behaviours. Models addressed the issues of governance. Using the models, researchers also suggested a consistent framework for improving governance of the expected transitions. The consortium publicised the study's results to policymakers and other stakeholders. The dissemination activities addressed the processes and problems of transition to low-carbon society, especially as they affect energy security. Activities included e-newsletters and policy briefs. The work also yielded a number of journal and conference papers and a dedicated book published in 2016 by Elsevier. MILESECURE-2050 explored the transition to low-carbon energy sources and the resulting impact for Europe. As a result, Europe is better placed to address climate change while also maintaining energy security.
Keywords
Energy, MILESECURE-2050, Europe, policy, solutions, security
