Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-09-24-Speech-1-108"
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"en.20070924.16.1-108"2
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"Mr President, almost everyone agrees that we in the European Union are facing three basic challenges: the first is the exhaustion and rising price of conventional energy sources; the second is the need to reduce our growing dependence on energy imports; and the third is to help hold back climate change. Clearly, renewable energy sources can make a major contribution to meeting these challenges.
We now have a commitment to achieve 20% of total energy generation from renewable sources by 2020. Obviously, Member States are free to choose the renewable energy sources that best suit their own situations. But they must commit themselves – there must be an unambiguous political commitment – to meet the targets we have jointly set ourselves.
I would like to stress four points. First, renewable energies are not incompatible with other energy sources that can help stabilise supply, but they must be the preferred option. Other energy sources, such as nuclear power, should not be discarded, but the persistent problems of waste management and high construction costs have yet to be solved.
The use of biofuels, however, requires great caution and should be based on criteria of sustainability. It could otherwise give rise to serious environmental damage and have adverse social consequences.
On the other hand, there are great possibilities for developing the use of renewable energies in the construction of new housing and infrastructure.
Finally, there is the social dimension of energy policy: the introduction of renewable energy sources must not give rise to price increases that put heating or electricity beyond the reach of consumers, especially the most vulnerable sections of society, which are especially hard hit by rising energy prices."@en1
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