The Role of Climate Change in the Energy Policies of the European Union

Abstract

One of the key factors for economic development and increasing the welfare level of the people is energy. Developed and developing countries depend on fossil fuel resources to meet their energy demand. The need for fossil energy sources, unevenly distributed throughout the world, is increasing daily. However, the rapid depletion of reserves and their short life span threaten countries in terms of energy supply. One of these countries is the European Union, which is a supranational organization. The Union, which ranks first in energy imports, meets more than half of its energy needs from fossil resources. In the past, the problems experienced in energy supply due to international oil crises and political instability in the countries on which it is dependent on energy forced the Union to produce a new energy policy. In the 1990s, the issue of climate change, which emerged as a result of the excessive use of fossil fuels, came to the fore, and the goal of reducing carbon emissions, which reached dangerous levels, to pre-Industrial Revolution rates brought a new dimension to the energy policies of the European Union. In order to ensure energy supply security, reduce dependence on fossil fuels, and produce sustainable and environmentally friendly energy, the EU develops new policies. Aiming to be a climateneutral continent by 2050, the Union plans to obtain most of its energy needs from renewable sources and low-carbon technologies. In this study, the change in energy policies since the establishment of the EU, the role of climate change in policy making, how far the EU is in carbon emission reduction targets, the role of the EU in global climate leadership and future plans will be discussed.