CALL FOR PAPERS
On-line Journal Modelling the New Europe, no. 22/2017
”EU’s 2030 Framework for climate and energy. Towards a more vigorous governance process?”
Since the second half of the 1980s, climate change and energy security have taken center stage in European and international politics. The EU has established itself as a front-runner on world stage on climate change and has meanwhile considerably improved its leadership profile. In contrast, although energy has been central to the European project from its beginnings, it proved unable to develop into an established and coherent common energy policy. In recent years, climate policy has helped energy policymaking on the EU level become more substantial as it became clear that EU’s moral leadership in fighting climate change has failed to mobilize other key players into taking action unless it persuades them that increasing energy efficiency and reducing energy would benefit society as well.
In the future, Europe is to be expected to confront a number of major challenges with a considerable impact on its ability to maintain its front-rank position in the world. Among these challenges, energy security and climate change are bound to rank high on its agenda. Irrespective of how challenging the integration of climate and energy security agendas might be, in Europe they are widely perceived as a chance to reshape society in a more sustainable, cooperative and equitable manner, enabling European economy to prosper while ensuring energy security and fighting climate change. At a European level, advances in climate and energy policies as well as shifts in underlying driving forces at both national and European level are perceived as having the potential to help EU remain a progressive force in combating climate change and improving the quality of energy consumption.
In October 2014, EU Member States have agreed on a new 2030 Framework for climate and energy, including EU-wide targets (a 40% cut in greenhouse gas emissions compared to 1990 levels, at least a 27% share of renewable energy consumption, at least 27% energy savings compared to baseline scenario) and ambitious policy objectives for the period between 2020 and 2030. These targets aim to help the EU achieve a more competitive, secure and sustainable energy system and to meet its long-term 2050 greenhouse gas reductions target. The strategy is meant to send a strong signal to the market, encouraging private investment in energy infrastructure and low-carbon technology. The targets are based on a thorough economic analysis that indicates how to achieve decarbonization by 2050 in a cost-effective manner. At the same time, for ensuring the success of its strategy EU has already envisaged a governance mechanism based on national energy and climate plans followed by progress reports on their implementation whose efficiency is yet to be proved.
The present issue of the On-line Journal Modelling the New Europe attempts to address among other pressing issues the following questions:
- What are the policy processes envisaged for transforming the EU governance in order to improve the coherence of energy and climate change agendas?
- How does the 2030 Framework for climate and energy fit into the national debates on climate change and energy security?
- What policy instruments are preferred at both national and European level for achieving the goals of the 2030 Framework for climate and energy?
The issue is double-peer reviewed by independent academics related to the field of study of the articles proposed. The Editorial Staff is looking forward to receiving your papers until February 15, 2017.
Please send your contributions to: ciceo.georgiana@ubbcluj.ro; miruna.balosin@ubbcluj.ro.
Thank you,
The On-line Journal Modelling the New Europe Editorial Team