Amid escalating tension with Russia over Ukraine, Brussels centres
on shale gas and non-Russian gas imports in its new energy security strategy
unveiled in May this year. However, I cast great doubt that either the
crisis is being used as a pretext to re-carbonise Europe’s energy sector, or
the strategy document deplorably reflects how Brussels still pits emissions target and energy security goals against each other but
favouring the latter. In the green and digital age, the key to accomplishing
both missions, which should not be mutually exclusive, is empowering the people
to empower themselves – proliferating “community-owned renewable energy schemes”
in the EU, rather than revisiting the
outmoded, high-carbon formula to secure energy supplies.
