Danish presidency: Martin Lidegaard

During its presidency, Denmark would like to see the EU move forward with its 2020 energy and climate targets, writes Martin Lidegaard.

Diminishing global resources and increasing global demand for energy are pushing fossil-fuel prices through the roof. These high prices have already imposed significant additional costs on households and enterprises. In other words, it is not a safe bet to build prosperity by using scarce fossil resources. Future prosperity requires energy efficiency and renewable energy.

Let’s be honest. Sometimes policy work in the European Union is not the most easily accessible. Take, for instance, a recent proposal from the commission to increase minimum standards for energy efficiency in water pumps under ecodesign legislation – many pages, difficult language. Not your average headline grabbing news item. Maybe it should be. Its implementation is, after all, a key element in securing Europe’s energy, as well as economic, future.

The commission expects the new demands on water pumps will lead to a yearly reduction in CO2 emissions of 1.5 million tonnes. Roughly the same as 150,000 average Europeans emit each year. No small feat for one small bit of legislation.

At the same time, energy savings will contribute to a robust and secure economy in the years to come. Recent figures from the International Energy Agency (IEA) predict that global demand for energy will increase by one-third towards 2035, and that oil prices will continue to rise. With lower energy consumption we will be less vulnerable to increases in future energy prices.

Last year, due to higher energy prices, Europeans paid €54bn more for importing energy from elsewhere than we did in 2009. At the moment, we just accept paying those extra billions as if we have no choice. But it’s not so. We could use this money much better to improve science and education than by sending it abroad. Saving energy and increasing efficiency are great ways to strengthen us economically and strategically.

During its presidency, Denmark will try to advance this agenda as much as possible. At the moment, we’re wasting a lot of highly valuable energy because our machines and systems are far from being as efficient as can be. European companies should be the ones leading the world in producing products that are fit for the energy-constrained world of the future, and for this aim to be achieved it is important to move the EU internal climate and energy agenda forward.

During the rotating presidency, Denmark intends to revitalise the discussions on the low carbon roadmap 2050. Here we would like to see EU move forward on milestones or targets after 2020.

Furthermore, we wish to close the negotiations with a first reading agreement on the energy efficiency directive. However there is no question that this will be a very demanding and ambitious task, but it is my impression that we have a good momentum going into these negotiations, and we need this momentum to be kept up.

The infrastructure proposal is also a very important dossier. It will help bring our energy infrastructure up to speed – not least so it will be able to handle much higher percentages of renewable energy, make the energy market more efficient and increase our energy supply and energy security.

During its presidency, the Danish government will work hard to find solutions on our common challenges that everybody finds attractive. The small steps are many – but important. Take, for instance, the commission’s proposal on stricter energy efficiency regulations on tumble dryers currently on its way through the legislative process. Another policy item that probably will never hit the headlines, but, measured by its impact on future European energy safety, maybe should.

Martin Lidegaard is Denmark's climate and energy minister