We live in an increasingly insecure world and if we are to avoid catastrophic climate change then energy security cannot come from a european coal mine or from a european Fracking well. If humanity is to avoid simply becoming fossils ourselves then fossil fuels have to stay in the ground. Real security for future generations will only be achieved through serious investment in energy efficiency and a massive scaling up of our renewable energy resources. The emission commitments that have been made so far in preparation for Paris simply are not fit for purpose. They will not keep global temperatures below 2 degrees and the consequences of that lack of resolve must be understood.
It is not enough however to simply make those energy resources clean and sustainable. For real security we need to ensure that energy is owned by individuals, communities and local authorities and devolved administration such as the ones we all represent. The political power wielded by large energy corporations will ultimately get in the way of action on climate change. EU citizens should not simply be energy consumers they should be energy producers & generators in their own right. We need an Energy Generating Democracy.
And finally if the people of Europe are to have Energy Security then their heat and power must be affordable. Energy or fuel poverty must be eradicated across Europe. No one should have to choose between eating of heating their home. I would like you to come to England to see some of the work Kirklees Council is doing to tackle fuel poverty not because of the policies of the UK Govt but because of our own local priorities.
National policies too often act as a limiting ceiling on local ambitions on energy security we need them to be a floor that we can build upon.
We need an Energy Union for now but also for future generations.
We need an Energy Union for the people.
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