Climate Change and Energy: what is the European Union doing?

Article published in Cafebabel

How do you think we should tackle climate change? America's Power © Flickr

If we take in consideration the key achievements of the current energy and climate policy framework, we can assume that the EU’s global fight against climate change is happening with progressive success. 

Firstly, we should take in account the 20/20/20 goals from the climate and energy package proposed by the Commission, which the three main goals for 2020 are 20% reduction in EU greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels, raising the share of EU energy consumption produced from renewable resources to 20% and a 20% improvement in the EU's energy efficiency. Nevertheless, the policy framework for the period up to 2030 is needed to guarantee regulatory certainty for investors and a coordinated approach among Member States. The main goals range from the achievement of a low-carbon economy, an energy system more competitive, a target of at least 27% for renewable energy and energy savings by 2030. The EU’s vision and therefore its measures to tackle climate change are of extreme importance in order to ensure a sustainable development across the EU. 

When it comes to think about the future, not only European but global action as well taken before 2020 will be critical to define environmental and energy policies. In order to transform its energy system and to mobilise the international community ahead of the global climate conference in Paris, the European Union must invest on renewable energies - like wind and solar power - and intelligent IT systems, which will contribute to a more sustainable management of electricity consumption whether in a domestic or in a business industrial context. "I see two major factors that will hugely influence how the marketplace of the future will look: the wide-scale roll-out of renewable and distributed power generation systems and the development of intelligent IT systems" said European Commission's Vice-President Maros Sefcovic during the World Economic Forum. 

This means, for instance, Eco-design requirements for energy intensive products. Building a pan-European energy market by constructing the necessary transmission lines, pipelines and other infrastructures. Implementing the Strategic Energy Technology Plan – the EU's strategy to accelerate the development and deployment of low carbon technologies such as solar power, smart grids, and carbon capture and storage. Another step of considerable importance is the pursuit of good relations with the EU's external energy suppliers and energy transit countries, something that is currently under a “cold” process with the EU sanctions on Russia.

Livestock: the Biggest Threat to our Planet?

Article published in Cafebabel

Meat production depends on a lot of grazing land. USDAgov © Flickr

The production of meat has devastating consequences for our planet - it is the main reason for wasting water, destroying preserved land and several species of animals. The EU is not acting as large corporations continue to benefit. 

A few years ago I watched Al Gore’s documentary, “An Inconvenient Truth”, and I was alarmed. It’s not that I didn’t know about the environmental crisis facing our planet, but when I was confronted with solid empirical data and polar bears dying in the Arctic in front of my eyes, it touched me deeply. 

As of that moment, I began being extra careful with all my actions that could have any harmful impact for the planet. Basic things like: brushing my teeth with no running water, turning off all unused lights in the house, trying to recycle, never throwing trash (as well as chewing gum!) to the floor, and many other little things that can really make the difference. 

Recently, I saw another documentary “Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret” and I realized that despite all my personal efforts to contribute positively to the planet, it is far away from being only up to me or up to us, common citizens. Apparently, the biggest threat to the conservation of our world resides in livestock. After being confronted with this, I researched the issue further and it made me more worried. 

The desire and habit of large proportions of the world’s population eating meat is essentially ruining the planet. Livestock that is farmed for food and dairy products, produces huge amounts of methane and nitrous oxide, greenhouse gases which trap more heat than carbon dioxide. 

Last year in Germany, methane gas released by cows in a woodshed caused an explosion. This was labeled as funny at the time, but it's a microcosm of the larger problem at hand. The main source for methane is the enteric fermentation, a digestive process that occurs in ruminant animals such as cattle, goats and sheep. 

According to Cassandra Brooks from the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment, “meat production is projected to double by 2020 due to increased per capita global consumption of meat and population growth. Most of this increase in production will come through industrialized animal production systems. These trends will have major consequences on the global environment. Vast transfers of "virtual" energy, water and nutrients will occur among nations that will have large impacts on local and distant environments. A full accounting of these trends and projections will give us the capacity to propose policies to ameliorate the negative aspects of these developments and position us to address the multiple consequences of industrialized animal production systems.” 

The European Union's stance 

The world's determination on limiting global warming to under two degrees is clashing with the absent measures to stop the massive emission of greenhouse gases. When it comes to preventative policies, the European Union seems to be unwilling to trigger a social awareness about the subject. Italian MEP Giovanni La Via said that “people are aware that the food they eat is an important factor affecting their health, but what is less well-known is the impact that producing and consuming food has on the world’s resources.” 

Anja Hazekamp, Dutch MEP for the Party for the Animals has said that getting the EU’s population to eat less meat collides with the current agricultural policy of the Union as almost half of the EU budget is spent on subsidies for agriculture and fishery. These subsidies go to projects which promote European agricultural products, counting meat and dairy. 

Moreover, in October 2014, Hazekamp and other 36 MEPs wrote a letter titled “Building a Sustainable European Food System” to the Commission, which addressed the livestock issue as well as a report on sustainable food that was supposed to be released to the public in 2011 but never was. A return letter was sent from the Commission, when still under Jose Manuel Barroso's presidency, but the content was not explicit enough and the explanation for the delay of the report's publication was non-existent. 

Developing countries are rising their meat consumption. © Wikipedia/OECD

Beef production is responsible for the irrigation of tonnes and tonnes of precious water, it is responsible for the extinction of animal species as well as the destruction of natural land like the Amazon. To fulfill the human luxuries we are dooming our planet and the boomerang effect can already be sensed. 

Profit Before the Planet 

Think about the meat sold by fast food giants (McDonald’s, Burger King, KFC among others), not only in terms of the poor quality meat that you are eating but also in the amount of meat that these large companies need in a daily basis to run their respective businesses. They don't take into consideration the environment impact of their activities as long as their business is profiting. Is this indifferent to you? I have more than that to worry about. I think about my little nieces and nephews, and the whole generation that will come after us, and this is what really makes me reinforce my conviction to help bring about change. 

Cowspiracy, official trailer © Youtube