Feature story - July 29, 2004
BANGALORE, India — Despite innumerable statements about the dangers of climate change and the need for more renewable energy from a host of European institutions, blank cheques are still being written to underpin the industries at the heart of climate change, the production of nuclear waste and the threat of nuclear proliferation. Greenpeace believes that until these subsidies are stopped, renewables will not be able to meet their full potential as a solution to climate change and the risks posed by the nuclear industry.
The report " The EUTs Energy Support Programmes: Promoting
Sustainability or Pollution? by energy expert Antony Froggatt [1] "
shows that:
* over the last 30 years, around ¬60 billion has been spent on
research and development of nuclear technologies " far more than
for any other energy source. In the last EU research Framework
Programme, nuclear technologies were awarded more than 1.2 billion,
while renewables received only ¬390 million;
* the nuclear industry has also benefited from Loans granted
under the Euratom Treaty, totalling ¬3.2 billion since 1977. The
Euratom Treaty may permit billions of euros worth of state aid to
help pay for the costs of dealing with nuclear waste;
* the European Commission sanctioned more than ¬60 billion in
state aid for the coal sector in Member States between 1994 and
2003, despite the threat of climate change;
* the European Investment Bank loaned around ¬18 billion for
energy projects between 1990 and 2003. Of this, non-hydro renewable
projects received funding worth only 323 million
* energy infrastructure projects " which tend to favour
large-scale, fossil fuel or nuclear generation " have received
billions through structural funds and grants.
Renewable energy sources and energy efficiency have the
potential to make deep cuts in carbon dioxide emissions to prevent
dangerous climate change, as well as to end the nuclear age.
Some energy sources like wind energy are already mature and
fully competitive with coal or nuclear plants. A recent Greenpeace
report demonstrated that offshore wind alone could provide one
third of Europe's electricity by 2020 [2]. Greenpeace is calling on
EU Governments to endorse the ParliamentTs call and push for an EU
renewable energy target at the upcoming Bonn Renewables Conference
of a minimum contribution to energy generation of 20% by 2020
[3].
"This report exposes the hypocrisy at the heart of European
energy policy," said Jan Vande Putte of Greenpeace.Europe's leaders
are paying lip service to the need to encourage renewables
generation to address the threat of climate change, but when it
comes to putting their hands in their pockets the money has already
been spent on dirty energy subsidies.
[2] seawind report link
[3] the Renewables 2004 conference will be held on 1-4 June. For
more information, see www.renewables2004.de/default.asp