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EU Decarbonization under Geopolitical Pressure: Changing Paradigms and Implications for Energy and Climate Policy

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  • Filippos Proedrou

    (Faculty of Business and Creative Industries, University of South Wales, Newport NP20 2BP, UK)

Abstract

This paper aims to assess the impact of EU energy and climate policy as a response to Russia’s war in Ukraine on the EU decarbonization enterprise. It showcases how the Russian invasion was a crunch point that forced the EU to abandon its liberal market dogma and embrace in practice an open strategic autonomy approach. This led to an updated energy and climate policy, with significant changes underpinning its main pillars, interdependence, diversification, and the focus of market regulation and build-up. The reversal of enforced interdependence with Russia and the legislative barrage to support and build-up a domestic clean energy market unlocks significant emission reduction potential, with measures targeting energy efficiency, solar, wind, and hydrogen development; an urban renewable revolution and electricity and carbon market reforms standing out. Such positive decarbonization effects, however, are weakened by source and fuel diversification moves that extend to coal and shale gas, especially when leading to an infrastructure build-up and locking-in gas use in the mid-term. Despite these caveats, the analysis overall vindicates the hypothesis that geopolitics constitutes a facilitator and accelerator of EU energy transition.

Suggested Citation

  • Filippos Proedrou, 2023. "EU Decarbonization under Geopolitical Pressure: Changing Paradigms and Implications for Energy and Climate Policy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-14, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:6:p:5083-:d:1095993
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Andreas Goldthau & Nick Sitter, 2022. "Whither the Liberal European Union Energy Model? The Public Policy Consequences of Russia’s Weaponization of Energy," EconPol Forum, CESifo, vol. 23(06), pages 4-7, November.
    2. Romanova, Tatiana, 2023. "A choice between neoliberal engagement and strategic autonomy? The impossibility of EU's green cooperation with Russia between 2019 and 2021," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    3. Prontera, Andrea, 2018. "The new politics of energy security and the rise of the catalytic state in southern Europe," Journal of Public Policy, Cambridge University Press, vol. 38(4), pages 511-551, December.
    4. Filippos Proedrou, 2020. "Behind the EU's Energy and Climate Policy Conundrum: Erroneous Power Toolbox, Deadlocks and the Way Forward," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 58(2), pages 402-418, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Mariusz Pyra, 2023. "Simulation of the Progress of the Decarbonization Process in Poland’s Road Transport Sector," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(12), pages 1-21, June.
    2. Martha Loewe & Christine Quittkat & Michèle Knodt & Ingrid Ott, 2024. "The Impact of the Russian War against Ukraine on the German Hydrogen Discourse," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-21, January.
    3. Tomasz Rokicki & Piotr Bórawski & András Szeberényi, 2023. "The Impact of the 2020–2022 Crises on EU Countries’ Independence from Energy Imports, Particularly from Russia," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-26, September.

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