Renew On Line (UK) 32

Extracts from the July-August 2001 edition of Renew
These extracts only represent about 25% of it

EU News

Europe could be at the heart of a global boom in green technology, which could see its annual turnover double to more than US$660 bn, with EU companies being well placed to outstrip US and Japanese rivals, according to the European Committee of Environmental Technology Suppliers Associations. However, it says that the sector needs strong and consistently enforced environmental regulation if it is to achieve its full potential. It also wants the EU to introduce tax incentives for decommissioning dirty technologies, and a fast-track system for approving new innovations, with research and priority given to "environmentally critical" areas, such as energy.

See http://www.eucetsa.org

* The EU won’t meet renewable targets without cutting energy demand - according to a European Commission report, which says that with current trends the EU will not double the share of electricity from renewables, as hoped.

See: http://www.edie.net/news/Archive/3864.html

In similar vein, a cross-party group of MEPs from all 15 member states has called on EU leaders to treat energy efficiency as a major element in future competitiveness. It argues that Europe should become the world’s most ‘energy intelligent’ continent, and called for creation of a special EU ministerial council to agree new efficiency initiatives.

See http://www.euroace.org 

German boost

Fears that the Climate Change polices adopted by Germany will undermine employment are unjustified, according to a study by the environment ministry. Instead, almost 200,000 new jobs could be created by the proposed measures to reduce carbon dioxide by 40% by 2020. This conclusion comes from a study by Swiss consultants Prognos, who also suggest that rather than the government’s decision last year to phase-out nuclear power by the mid-to-late 2020s leading to aggregate job losses in the utilities sector, overall employment in this sector will actually increase.

See http://www.ends.co.uk/subscribers/envdaily/prognos1.pdf