A Justice-Driven Approach to EU Power Sector Decarbonization

Abstract

As a leading industrialized block of Member States and a global trendsetter of climate policy and law, the EU has a particular responsibility to rapidly decarbonize. With energy forming 75% of current emissions and decarbonization being driven in part by mass electrification, transitioning the EU’s power system from predominantly fossil fuel-based to being principally powered by renewable energy sources (RES) (‘the Transition’) is a key first step. Particularly on the necessary speed of fossil fuel phase-out, however, the Transition is falling short of 1.5°C compatibility. Here, we advocate for a justice-driven, holistic approach to the Transition, with appreciation for the interconnectivity of the four major pillars of environmental, social, economic, and governance justice. Promoting governance as an integrated justice dimension offers a more robust and comprehensive framework for decision-making across different legislative levels. To demonstrate how this framework could deliver a more effective and equitable Transition, we apply it across sixteen ‘Rules’, under these four pillars. Each is designed for EU-wide transposition and the implementation by Member States as a means of filling a gap in the EU’s legislative framework, including the newly released ‘Fit for 55’ proposals package. We consider directly and comprehensively the interaction between new rules and existing and proposed EU legislation, the synergies across pillars, the compromises which might be necessitated, and the limitations of our high-level approach. EU, Energy, policy, law, climate change, power sector, just transition