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Corrado Clini is the director general of
the Department of Global Environment, International and Regional Conventions
and the Department of Sustainable Development at the Ministry for the
Environment and Territory of Italy. A developer of energy policies for the European Community, he has represented Italy in the Rio and Kyoto processes. Clini spoke to Bulletin editor Pavel Antonov about sustainable energy the countries that will soon join the European Union. Central and Eastern Europe (CEE)has certain environmental advantages over the West, and one is its lower level of carbon dioxide emissions. Do you think CEE will maintain this edge after joining the EU? I am optimistic that they will. This trend relates to economic growth. In the next 10 years the new European members from CEE will face significant economic growth. How can this growth be supported by efficient and clean energy? I think that the new EU directives on renewables, energy efficiency and environment will be the driving force. Compliance with them will facilitate the efficient growth of these countries. I know they have asked for a grace period to comply with these regulations. But at the end of this period we look to have a bigger and cleaner Europe. Did the countries make this request because CEE economies are more energy intensive? It could be. But it is also related to the position of their economies in the global picture. The CEE countries have been taken advantage of because of their transitional status - many EU companies started activities in CEE to save money and enjoy more relaxed environmental requirements. I think the request for grace periods is also related to this, and that is why the EU has pushed for shorter grace periods. A longer grace period could distort the market in these countries. Italy will hold the EU presidency immediately after accession of the new CEE members. What will your priorities be in tackling energy issues? The Italian presidency of the EU will begin in July with an informal council on energy and environment. On July 18 we will host a meeting of the environment and energy ministers of all the EU states - current and new - plus Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey. This big event will be devoted to the integration of the policies for the protection of the environment and for the security of the energy supply. The link between security of energy supply and reduction of emissions will be the challenge of the coming years in Europe, and, I believe, worldwide. To achieve economic growth in Europe, given the current tense international situation, we need to underline, encourage and support efficient uses of energy with the cleanest and most renewable technologies. This is essential both to reduce the dependence on energy supplies from critical countries and to promote the reduction of emissions - mainly in relation to climate change. Is the EU prepared for possible CEE requests for extra funding for these measures? The lesson of the last 30 years is that energy savings pays for itself. Today, successful energy-saving technologies are those that are the most economically efficient. The problem of money is not solved by grants. The problem of money is solved by an efficient economy that is able to generate investments and a return on those investments. We need to create market conditions which will reward the added value of renewables and cleaner technologies. And we will do this if we approach the issue of subsidies. Subsidies for fossil fuels and older technologies will be decreased. A real market will be a market where the economic value of energy sources and the things that use that energy will be based on all relevant factors - direct and indirect costs, costs of security and pollution. Does Italy want strategic leadership over energy-efficiency issues? The big issue is not Italy's leadership. The big issue is to decide how to continue with Europe's leadership in the field of sustainable development. We simply see that taking the environment into account in energy policies is key to the future of Europe's economy and sustainable development. |
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