Get smart on energy issues, say MEPs
A lack of information about available technologies, marketing imperfections and discouraging taxation present barriers to realising a reduction of more than 30 per cent of energy consumption in Europe, say four members of the European Parliament (MEPs). But this could be achieved by implementing the right energy efficiency measures say Lousewies van der Laan (NL, ELDR), Eryl McNally (GB, ESP), Claude Turmes (LU, Greens/EFA) and Anders Wijkman (SE, EPP-ED), who believe that 'energy intelligence' is necessary for the European economy. This March, the MEPs launched an initiative, dubbed 'energy intelligent Europe' (EI-Europe), in response to the Commission Action Plan on energy efficiency, which they consider 'far too weak'. Reducing dependency on external energy supplies, realising Kyoto commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reducing health hazards from fossil fuel use in cities are compelling reasons for adopting an ambitious EU policy on energy efficiency, they say. ''Energy intelligent Europe' suggests a number of initiatives in areas where both the economy and the environment stand to gain most,' say the MEPs. These include: - getting energy intelligence accepted as a target of the Lisbon process, aiming to reduce the use of energy in the European Union by 2.5 per cent a year; - providing incentives for energy companies to profit not only from selling more energy, but by providing the same level of energy services, with less input of energy; - getting the Commission to promote the visibility of energy intelligence by bundling Directives to promote co-generation, to enhance energy efficiency in new and old buildings, to promote more efficient household appliances and office equipment, to improve energy efficiency in transportation and to use public procurement proactively to promote energy-efficient equipment; - getting the Commission to make energy efficiency a prominent theme in negotiations with accession countries, helping them to by-pass polluting stages in the development process.; - turning the European institution buildings into good examples of energy intelligence and energy efficiency. The EU institutions could also help by setting international standards for appliance and office equipment world-wide, they add. 'The initiative has already been signed and supported by members representing all the major party groups and all Member States,' say the MEPs, who are scheduled to meet with Energy Commissioner Loyala de Palacio.