Policy Paper 78
Meeting Europe’s resource challenge within and beyond EU borders
Annika Ahtonen, Policy Analyst and Andrea Frontini, Programme Assistant, European Policy Centre (EPC) ? The European Union (EU) faces a serious resource challenge. It is dependent on external sources of energy and other raw materials, and this makes it vulnerable to resource availability and price fluctuations. If not managed, this could have serious implications for Europe and its competitiveness, for public and private sectors, for citizens and for overall European well-being.
The EU takes environmental challenges seriously, at least on paper, and has developed a number of internal policies and initiatives to tackle problems related to loss of biodiversity, inefficient use of resources and poor waste management. It is widely recognized that the EU should work together to tackle the energy challenge. At the same time, the EU has a two-fold approach to the external dimensions of resource challenges. Firstly, the EU has made sustainable development a fully-fledged component of its own narrative worldwide. Secondly, as do all actors, it has an interest in protecting its self-interests amidst increasing global competition over resources. However, in order to tackle the resource challenge effectively, the EU must both turn words into action within Europe and clarify its external strategy and the means to implement it.
Reforms are needed, and the question is whether migration can help address these issues. It can, but only if the European economies are capable of growing enough to create the jobs, meaning that migrants can be integrated into the labour market and thus contribute to financing the welfare system. This will pose challenges as the countries with a population surplus are also those countries which have revealed to be difficult to integrate . This calls for a change – and a drastic improvement – in Europe’s integration policies, including not only a public debate about the benefits, or necessity, of migration and integration, but also a series of Europe-wide initiatives.
This Policy
Paper is a contribution of Annika Ahtonen and Andrea Frontini (EPC), to the project Think Global – Act European (TGAE). Thinking strategically
about the EU’s external action directed by Notre Europe –
Jacques Delors Institute (report available in May 2013, dir. Elvire Fabry, Senior Research Fellow, Notre
Europe – Jacques Delors Institute).
The European Union (EU)
faces a serious resource challenge. It is dependent on external sources of
energy and other raw materials, and this makes it vulnerable to resource
availability and price fluctuations. If not managed, this could have serious
implications for Europe and its competitiveness, for public and private
sectors, for citizens and for overall European well-being.
The EU takes
environmental challenges seriously, at least on paper, and has developed a
number of internal policies and initiatives to tackle problems related to loss
of biodiversity, inefficient use of resources and poor waste management. It is
widely recognized that the EU should work together to tackle the energy
challenge. At the same time, the EU has a two-fold approach to the external
dimensions of resource challenges. Firstly, the EU has made sustainable
development a fully-fledged component of its own narrative worldwide. Secondly,
as do all actors, it has an interest in protecting its self-interests amidst
increasing global competition over resources. However, in order to tackle the
resource challenge effectively, the EU must both turn words into action within
Europe and clarify its external strategy and the means to implement it.
includes contributions by Sami Andoura (Notre Europe – Jacques Delors Institute), Clémentine d’Oultremont (Egmont), Gonzalo Escribano (Elcano), Nadège Chambon (Notre Europe – Jacques Delors Institute) et Stephen Tindale (CER).
This project is led with the contribution of
SUR LE MÊME THÈME
ON THE SAME THEME
PUBLICATIONS
[FR] France’s energy future

Can a minimum price on carbon accelerate the adoption of clean technologies?

The need for a socially-just European Green Deal

MÉDIAS
MEDIAS
A Euro Warning Worth Heeding From Italy

Fit for 55 : des accords à l’arrachée… au prix d’une ambition revue à la baisse

Whatever it takes? Europe forced to speed up its energy transition

Faut-il créer un statut pour les déplacés climatiques ?

Les traités actuels empêchent-ils l’Europe d’être plus écologique et sociale ?

« La guerre est un mauvais alibi pour continuer à miser sur les énergies fossiles »

Environnement : Emmanuel Macron peut-il être “le premier président de la République dont on dira qu’il a vraiment agi pour l’écologie ?”

Can Spain make Elon Musk’s solar energy dream a reality?

EU brands Russian gas halt ‘blackmail’, working on response

Klimaschutz in Kommunen – wie wir schneller vorankommen

Allemagne : manifestation anti-charbon dans un village menacé de disparition par l’extension d’une mine

Europe rediscovers biogas in search for energy independence

Viele Baustellen beim Energiesparen

Stratégie énergétique : l’Allemagne maintient le même cap qu’avant la guerre en Ukraine

La guerre en Ukraine, handicap ou opportunité pour lutter contre le réchauffement climatique?

La guerre en Ukraine peut-elle accélérer la transition énergétique en Europe ?

Journal de 20h

Energie, agriculture, défense: l’autonomie européenne attendra

« Il a fallu attendre l’agression déclenchée par Vladimir Poutine contre l’Ukraine pour réaliser l’étendue de la vulnérabilité énergétique de l’UE »

Géopolitique de l’énergie : l’Union face à l’enjeu climatique

Réduire la dépendance européenne au gaz russe : l’arlésienne jusqu’à quand ?

EU needs immediate measures to cut Russian gas use – experts

10 mesures pour réduire la dépendance au gaz russe

La guerre russe en Ukraine menace aussi la transition énergétique de l’Europe

“Il faut concevoir un Plan Marshall pour notre souveraineté énergétique”

Manquera-t-on un jour d’électricité ?

Transition énergétique : qu’est-ce que le Fonds social pour le climat ?

La Chine investit dans des éoliennes en Espagne

Comment l’Allemagne est parvenue à réduire ses émissions de CO₂ deux fois plus vite que la moyenne européenne

Les citoyens allemands devraient être davantage associés à la politique énergétique du pays, selon l’institut Jacques-Delors

L’UE peut prendre des mesures de protection commerciale sur l’environnement

“Un vaste programme de rénovation énergétique de logements et d’écoles publiques pourrait créer rapidement des postes de travail”

Bâtiments, économie circulaire, tourisme côtier… Les secteurs clés pour une relance verte en Europe

“Il faut un pacte européen dans le bâtiment et dans les transports”

EU Green Deal ‘hangs on social justice and innovation’ warns think-tank

“La transition énergétique ne coûte guère plus cher que le maintien du système actuel”

Transition énergétique, quel rôle pour le consommateur-citoyen ? (avec Enedis, l’institut J Delors, Isinnova et l’UE)

Elections Could Fracture EU Environment, Climate Policy Blocs

“Opposition to subjecting Nord Stream 2 to EU rules has created a loss of credibility for Germany”

Enrico Letta on Europe 1 : “Les populismes sont, en grande partie, issus des fautes des élites”

ENABLE.EU, partner of the Jacques Delors Institute, publishes it’s October newsletter

The energy transition in Europe – Thomas Pellerin-Carlin on Al Jazeera

Nord Stream 2 and the Energy Union: Friends or foes? – Thomas Pellerin Carlin on Euractiv

Thomas Pellerin-Carlin on ZDF about Emmanuel Macron at the G20 summit in Hamburg

E.Letta, J.A.Vinois and T.P.Carlin in the Energy Post about the Energy Union
