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Begin New Search Topic Sustainability Content Type Policy Brief

31. Storage and Networks: the Achilles’ heel of Renewable Energy Sources expansion

Author:
Michalis Mathioulakis
Publication Date:
04-2024
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP)
Abstract:
This paper analyses the elements that compose two of the structural vulnerabilities of the European energy system and undermine the efforts in Greece and the rest of the European Union to further increase the penetration of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) successfully in their energy mix and accelerate the energy transition. The production of electricity from Renewable Energy Sources in Greece in 2023 as a share of total electricity production was among the highest in Europe, while also throughout the EU the shares of RES increased. However, as RES shares increase, their stochasticity in electricity production can create problems for the stability of the electricity grid since, on a global level, there is a deficit of mature storage technologies and a lack in adequate volume of electricity distribution and transmission network infrastructure. The costs required to cover these deficits are currently passed on to the European consumers in the form of regulated, non-competitive charges, for which consumers cannot freely choose their provider. This issue constitutes a regression from the European structure of a free and competitive common European market, a relapse that increases together with the growing shares of regulated costs in the energy bills of European citizens. However, without sufficient new investments in networks and electricity storage, the EU faces the risk of system instability. In addition, administrative restrictions in production for grid-ready RES systems, deem new investments in RES economically non-viable and carry the additional risk of disinvestment from new RES projects. In this complex environment of interconnected issues and modular problems, it is now crucial to approach the decarbonisation effort through the realization that painful compromises need to be made at an energy policy level, since the future of tackling climate change needs to be hybrid and, unfortunately, not completely green if we want it to be resilient and sustainable in the long term.
Topic:
Climate Change, European Union, Renewable Energy, Sustainability, and Energy Security
Political Geography:
Europe

32. Leveraging EU industrial policy to reshape Greece’s productive model

Author:
Aggelos Tsakanikas and Petros Dimas
Publication Date:
04-2024
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP)
Abstract:
This policy brief explores the evolution and goals of industrial policy in the EU, aiming to identify the ways in which these recent developments can provide significant opportunities for Greece. In this context, we outline some of the key features of the fragmented landscape of Greek industrial strategies and suggest future directions through which the country can leverage the current momentum of industrial policy in the EU to pursue the restructuring of its productive base along the lines of sustainability, the twin (green and digital) transition, and European strategic autonomy. Since the Great Recession of 2008, the EU has openly supported coordinated and complementary policies in an effort to tackle structural deficiencies that render its productive systems vulnerable. The pandemic crisis, the Ukrainian war, and the general call for action against climate change have highlighted the need for the further reconfiguration of industrial development across the world along the lines of inclusion, sustainability, and resilience. The EU New Industrial Strategy and its update in the aftermath of the pandemic provide blends of horizontal and vertical actions that target resilience in the Single Market, EU strategic autonomy, and the acceleration of the green and digital (twin) transitions. In response to the energy crisis, the EU Green Deal Industrial Plan for the Net-Zero Age has been promoted to ensure that sustainable competitiveness goals are on track with the recent geopolitical developments. Greece has already aligned its strategic planning to the EU’s industrial policy objectives through a dedicated National Industrial Strategy and other strategic documents that target innovation, the green transition and sustainable development, and digitalization across key industrial ecosystems and value chains. Key initiatives, such as industrial alliances and Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEIs), major reforms through dedicated Acts, and an unprecedented wealth of financing and regulatory instruments outline significant opportunities of transformative potential Greece’s productive model. The country must meet the challenges of implementing its ambitious action plans, while simultaneously monitoring, evaluating, and updating its strategic orientation against the backdrop of a volatile global market environment. Different strategies should be integrated into a unified system of policies that creates a clear connection between, and path dependence for, different objectives, diverse market reforms and policy interventions.
Topic:
Industrial Policy, European Union, Sustainability, Strategic Autonomy, Green Transition, and Digital Transition
Political Geography:
Europe and Greece

33. How demographic change will hit debt sustainability in European Union countries

Author:
Zsolt Darvas, Lennard Welslau, and Jeromin Zettelmeyer
Publication Date:
09-2024
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Bruegel
Abstract:
Population ageing is putting pressure on the public debt-to-GDP ratios of European Union countries, both by raising net public expenditures and by lowering potential growth. To keep debt ratios under control and to comply with EU fiscal rules, EU countries will need to run sufficiently high structural primary balances – the difference between non-cyclical revenue and non-interest spending. Because the EU’s fiscal rules require countries to anticipate and offset the fiscal costs of ageing during the adjustment period and in the 10 years beyond, the impact of ageing on overall fiscal indicators, such as the structural primary balance, will be felt mostly during the initial four-to-seven-year adjustment period that begins in 2025. Thereafter, structural primary balances will not need to rise further in most countries. However, in countries in which fiscal ageing costs are rising – all EU countries except Bulgaria, Croatia, Finland, France, Italy, Latvia and Sweden – fiscal adjustment in the non-ageing portion of the budget needs to continue, even if the structural primary balance does not need to increase. Unless ageing cost can be brought under control, this would require the re-allocation of expenditure from non-ageing to ageing-related items, or further increases in taxation. This creates difficult adjustment choices for many EU countries. Demographic risk factors could add one percentage point of GDP or more to required primary balances, while policies that alleviate demographic pressures – increasing immigration, raising fertility levels and labour force participation, boosting productivity and reducing the cost of long-term care for the elderly – could reduce fiscal pressures by around half a point. The annual country-specific recommendations (CSRs) issued as part of the European Semester include many good ideas to raise labour force participation, reform pension and healthcare systems and raise productivity, but implementation of these recommendations by EU countries has been limited. Furthermore, CSRs contain almost no advice on immigration policy or fertility-enhancing policies, despite a rich academic literature on both. EU countries need to act on existing CSRs to alleviate demographic pressures, while the Commission and the Council should go further in their advice on tackling demographic challenges.
Topic:
Debt, Demographics, European Union, Regulation, and Sustainability
Political Geography:
Europe

34. Security of supply in an era of environmental crises: Exploring the potential of Finnish comprehensive preparedness

Author:
Emma Hakala and Helmi Räisänen
Publication Date:
11-2024
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Finnish Institute of International Affairs (FIIA)
Abstract:
Climate change will increase the probability of crises affecting society and security of supply: for example, extreme weather events might disrupt manufacturing and logistics across sectors. Energy transition relies on several raw material supply chains to develop new energy sources. However, growing demand threatens to outstrip supply for some raw materials in the near future, creating a potential bottleneck in the transition. The Finnish model of security of supply, which emphasises comprehensive preparedness, is a feasible framework for addressing climate-related risks, but so far these have not been systematically taken into account. An understanding of climate-related risks needs to be integrated into the shared situational awareness of everyone involved in security of supply operations. Reliance on unsustainable activities might not be possible in a world that is largely moving away from fossil fuels. For example, the procurement of equipment for the Defence Forces must take into account the availability of fuel for decades to come.
Topic:
Security, Climate Change, Sustainability, Supply Chains, and Energy
Political Geography:
Europe and Finland

35. Policy Brief 17: Building bridges for nonviolent change: Women insider mediators in peaceful protest movements

Author:
Veronique Dudouet and Johanna-Maria Hulzer
Publication Date:
09-2024
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Berghof Foundation
Abstract:
This policy brief examines the critical roles of women as insider mediators in peaceful protest movements (PPMs) across Iraq, Thailand, and Venezuela. Based on qualitative interviews and case studies, this brief highlights how these women build bridges between diverse actors and offers recommendations for empowering them to deepen their mediation roles. The findings aim to inform international policy actors and enhance support for sustainable peacebuilding.
Topic:
Women, Protests, Sustainability, Mediation, Nonviolence, and Peacebuilding
Political Geography:
Iraq, Middle East, South America, Venezuela, Thailand, and Southeast Asia

36. Mirror, mirror on the wall, EU reciprocity standards in agri-food as a solution for all?

Author:
Pieter Zwaan
Publication Date:
11-2024
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Clingendael Netherlands Institute of International Relations
Abstract:
This policy brief reflects on the use of reciprocal sustainability standards in unilateral trade measures by the EU and its impact on the agri-food sector. The contribution is positioned within the recent calls to better protect European farmers from unfair competition and imported products that face less stringent sustainability standards, but also aims to provide a general overview of the discussion about these measures and their broader impacts. With regard to this impact, the policy brief highlights the difficulty of predicting and assessing what effect these unilateral measures will have. It calls for better impact assessments and a reflexive approach when adopting new unilateral measures. Such an approach should make it possible to set unilateral reciprocal standards when needed, but would reduce or dimmish unforeseen adverse impacts.
Topic:
Agriculture, European Union, Food Security, Trade, Sustainability, and Reciprocity
Political Geography:
Europe

37. Development of the Blue Economy in Viet Nam

Author:
Vo Tri Thanh
Publication Date:
06-2023
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA)
Abstract:
Viet Nam is exploring various models to promote long-term economic growth and sustainable development, including the blue economy. Viet Nam’s policy documents have no formal definition of the marine economy or the newer concept of the blue economy. However, the policy documents have increasingly captured the essence of the blue economy, especially related to sustainable development. While lacking frequent updates and sufficient scope, the available statistics show the importance of the marine economy in the country. Viet Nam has various advantages for blue economy development, including high levels of sea traffic, a large sea area, a long coastline, and abundant marine resources. New opportunities for blue economy development can arise from consumers’ attention to sustainable development, improvement of the related legal framework, and cooperation with partners and foreign investors. However, Viet Nam needs to improve the awareness of local authorities and people, strengthen institutions for blue economy development, and upgrade the capacity to forecast and warn of natural disasters and climate change at sea, including via international cooperation.
Topic:
Governance, Regulation, Sustainability, ASEAN, and Blue Economy
Political Geography:
Vietnam and Southeast Asia

38. Ocean Issues in Alaska: From Fisheries Management to Public Safety and Security

Author:
Fran Ulmer
Publication Date:
08-2023
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard University
Abstract:
Alaska is an important region for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), given the Department’s statutory authority and responsibilities. This reality applies with particular force to the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), with its jurisdiction over fisheries enforcement, drug interdiction, marine safety, oil spill response, search and rescue, and more. Challenges facing the USCG in its domains of operation around Alaska—the Arctic Ocean, the North Pacific Ocean, the Bering Sea, the Chukchi Sea, and the adjacent communities—include the following:
Topic:
Security, Science and Technology, Natural Resources, Oceans and Seas, Public Policy, Sustainability, Fishing, and Public Safety
Political Geography:
North America, Alaska, and United States of America

39. After the February 6 Earthquakes: A Critical Overview of the Legal and Administrative Framework

Author:
Akif Burak Atlar
Publication Date:
10-2023
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV)
Abstract:
This brief assesses urban vulnerability to earthquake risk in relation to legal and administrative interventions that have occurred on building supervision, zoning amnesties and emergency management since the August 17, 1999 earthquake, and offers policy recommendations to reduce this vulnerability.
Topic:
Natural Disasters, Governance, Sustainability, and Earthquake
Political Geography:
Turkey and Middle East

40. Society and State in Turkey Between Two Disasters

Author:
Ulaş Bayraktar
Publication Date:
10-2023
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV)
Abstract:
This brief assesses the responses of the central government, municipalities, civil society organisations and grassroots communities in the aftermath of the 1999 and 2023 earthquakes in the context of the changes in Turkey’s political and administrative life between these two crises.
Topic:
Civil Society, Natural Disasters, Governance, Sustainability, and Earthquake
Political Geography:
Turkey