European and International
European Union
The European Union has a long-standing policy commitment to encourage the growth of energy production from renewable sources. The fact that the EU is already a world leader in the use of renewable energy technologies is evidence of this sustained effort. The renewable energy industry in Europe has already reached an annual turnover of €30 billion and is currently providing over 350,000 jobs throughout the Union. Furthermore, recent policy initiatives indicate that the EU is keen to stay at the forefront of this fast-developing area.
Today, the dual concerns of energy security and climate change have added a political dimension to discussions on EU energy policy and helped add further momentum to EU policy developments. In reaffirming the social, environmental and economic benefits that can accrue from an increased use of renewables, this new political dimension has underlined the importance of renewable energy production in individual Member States.
The deployment and use of renewable energy in the EU is a strategic part of the recently approved European Climate and Energy package and is outlined in the new EU Directive on Renewable Energy. The directive aims to increase the share of renewable energy sources in the EU from 8.5% to 20% in overall energy consumption by the year 2020. In addition, the directive strengthens the legal framework for promoting renewable electricity generation and requires Member States to formulate action plans that chart the development of renewable energy nationally. This directive is a necessary component of the global fight to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and is an essential ingredient to achieving the Union’s overarching energy policy objectives of environmental sustainability, security of supply and economic competitiveness. It is important to note that the renewable targets set for each Member States differ because they are at different stages in their use of renewable energy resources. Thus, Ireland’s EU renewable energy target is set at 16% of total energy consumption by 2020.
International
To date, the 1997 Kyoto Protocol has been the most holistic international agreement driving renewable energy deployment at a global level. The protocol commits industrialised or developed countries to reduce their collective emissions of greenhouse gases by at least 5% compared to 1990 levels by the first commitment period (2008-2012). As a signatory of the Kyoto Protocol, Ireland is committed to limiting its annual greenhouse gas emissions to 13% above 1990 levels by the 2008-2012 period. As increasing the use renewable energy sources will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help nations meet this target, the Kyoto Protocol calls on all signatories to devise policies to promote the development and use of renewable forms of energy. The forthcoming international conference on climate change in Copenhagen at the end of 2009 (a follow-on from Kyoto) offers the world a significant opportunity to increase this commitment and to enhance national, regional and international cooperation on renewable energy deployment.
There is now a growing consensus among the international community that action to tackle the increasing threat from climate change needs to move from the level of consultations to the level of joint actions. Moreover, the recent international agreement to establish the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) is evidence of this shift toward joint action. IRENA is the first international organisation commissioned to conduct research, provide advice and promote technological developments in the renewable energy sector.
Most international scientific research now accepts the premise that the concentration of greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere has increased substantially in recent years, mainly due to fossil fuel use. Against this background, the international community will need to formulate enforceable policy measures to stem the rise in greenhouse gas emissions globally. There is little doubt that in the face of diminishing fossil fuel resources, increased insecurity in energy supplies and increased risks from climate change, a commitment to increase the use of renewable energy sources must form a central pillar of any international agreement in Copenhagen. After all, renewable energy has the capacity to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while maintaining a secure supply of energy. From a national perspective, Ireland attaches considerable importance to reaching agreement on an effective international treaty that includes a commitment to increase the deployment and use of renewable energy resources.