TRANSFORMATION OF THE EU ENERGY POLICY: A RESPONSE TO CLIMATE CHANGE

Abstract

The relevance of the topic is determined by the existing impact of destructive climate change on the EU energy policy and national energy policies of the EU Member States. The purpose of the study is to assess the transformation of EU energy policy under the influence of climate change. The objectives of the study were: (1) to find out how climate change affects the energy sector; (2) to analyse the reforms carried out by the EU to green the energy sector; (3) to identify the main problems in the implementation of the EU's policy on greening the energy sector in the Member States. The author notes the close interconnectedness of climate and energy reforms. It is argued that today the EU is a global leader in the green transformation of energy policy, but at the level of EU Member States, the greening of energy and the overall response to climate change is taking place at different speeds and motivations. It is noted that there is no unanimity among EU Member States in supporting the energy and climate initiatives of the European Commission, as their implementation contradicts the interests of national economies. The author emphasizes the insufficient progress of many EU Member States in implementing their national energy and climate plans. It is noted that a large number of new EU directives, regulations, plans and other legal acts result in excessive bureaucracy and overregulation; at the same time, approaches to stimulating and motivating EU member states to carry out reforms need to be reviewed and strengthened. The author emphasizes the likelihood of undermining the EU's own climate agenda from within, if the results of the 2024 European Parliament elections strengthen the position of the «anti-climate policy» coalition (populists, right-wing political parties). A possible change in the party palette of the European Parliament could have a destructive impact on the implementation of EU policy towards achieving the set goals of greening the energy sector.