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Is the European Union Making Progress on Energy Decarbonisation While Moving towards Sustainable Development?

Author

Listed:
  • Iwona Bąk

    (Faculty of Economics, West Pomeranian University of Technology, 71-270 Szczecin, Poland)

  • Anna Barwińska-Małajowicz

    (Institute of Economics and Finance, University of Rzeszów, 36-601 Rzeszów, Poland)

  • Grażyna Wolska

    (Faculty of Economic Sciences and Management, University of Nicolaus Copernicus in Toruń, 87-100 Toruń, Poland)

  • Paweł Walawender

    (Institute of Philosophy and Sociology, Pedagogical University of Cracow, 30-084 Kraków, Poland)

  • Paweł Hydzik

    (Faculty of Management, Rzeszów University of Technology, 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland)

Abstract

Three-quarters of global greenhouse gas emissions come from burning fossil fuels for energy. To confront climate change, the world must move away from fossil fuels and decarbonise its energy systems. In the light of European Union documents, decarbonisation signifies the elimination of CO 2 emissions on account of their harmfulness to the environment. The European Union is planning that by 2030, these emissions will be 40% lower in comparison to 1990. A fundamental query arises here: do the achievements of EU countries give cause for optimism in this regard? The aim of the study is an attempt to determine the tendency of changes concerning energy decarbonisation as well as to distinguish typological groups of bodies (EU countries) with similar dynamics in the researched phenomenon. Trend functions and the distance matrices of the growth rate of the researched phenomenon were used for the dynamic classification. The conducted research confirmed that EU countries indicate spatial differentiation in terms of CO 2 emissions. It is related to the general socio-economic development of countries, their level of industrialisation, the quality of their natural environment, their degree of urbanisation, etc. The most favourable situation, in terms of the analysed phenomenon, i.e., the largest average decrease in CO 2 per capita in the analysed period, was characteristic of Ireland, Greece, and Cyprus. On the other hand, an adverse situation relating to an increase in the indicator occurred in five EU countries, specifically in Luxembourg and Lithuania.

Suggested Citation

  • Iwona Bąk & Anna Barwińska-Małajowicz & Grażyna Wolska & Paweł Walawender & Paweł Hydzik, 2021. "Is the European Union Making Progress on Energy Decarbonisation While Moving towards Sustainable Development?," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-18, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:14:y:2021:i:13:p:3792-:d:581201
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Artur Czech & Jerzy Lewczuk & Leonas Ustinovichius & Robertas Kontrimovičius, 2022. "Multi-Criteria Assessment of Transport Sustainability in Chosen European Union Countries: A Dynamic Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-22, July.
    2. Iwona Bąk & Małgorzata Tarczyńska-Łuniewska & Anna Barwińska-Małajowicz & Paweł Hydzik & Dariusz Kusz, 2022. "Is Energy Use in the EU Countries Moving toward Sustainable Development?," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-26, August.
    3. Norman Hendrik Riedel & Miroslav Špaček, 2022. "Challenges of Renewable Energy Sourcing in the Process Industries: The Example of the German Chemical Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-19, October.
    4. Anna Barwińska-Małajowicz & Radosław Pyrek & Krzysztof Szczotka & Jakub Szymiczek & Teresa Piecuch, 2023. "Improving the Energy Efficiency of Public Utility Buildings in Poland through Thermomodernization and Renewable Energy Sources—A Case Study," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-21, May.
    5. Maria Gouveia & Carla Henriques & Ana Amaro, 2022. "Is the Cohesion Policy Efficient in Supporting the Transition to a Low-Carbon Economy? Some Insights with Value-Based Data Envelopment Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-24, September.
    6. Artur Czech & Katarzyna Gralak & Marzena Kacprzak & Agnieszka Król, 2021. "Quantitative Analysis of Sustainable Transport Development as a Support Tool for Transport System Management: Spatial Approach," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-19, September.

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