Brussels, 16/10/2014 (Agence Europe) - The WWF is pleased to point out that renewable energies are cheaper than dirty energies like coal, gas or nuclear power, if their external costs are taken into account such as the impact on air quality, public health and climate change. The WWF is delighted that this is illustrated in a European Commission study providing the first comprehensive insight into EU level energy subsidies (EUROPE 11175).
The environmental NGO believes that this news comes just at the right time, with a few days to go to the European Council on 23-24 October, where a decision is expected to be taken on the integrated framework action project for EU policies on climate and energy for the 2020-30 period.
The report demonstrates that when these external costs are added to subsidies, figures show that fossil fuels and nuclear make up 70% of the costs, while renewables make only 18% of the costs paid by taxpayers.
Tony Long, director of WWF European Policy Office, explained, “The study usefully breaks the myth that renewables get more subsidies and are more expensive than dirty energies - when in fact it's the other way around. It seems Member States have still got completely wrong subsidy schemes for energy despite their claims and obligations. They are backing the wrong horse. Renewables and energy efficiency are the answer, not more demand for polluting and expensive energies”.
The study calculates that climate change represents around 50% of the external costs, followed by resource depletion (22%) and particle matter formation (15%). The remaining 13% of impacts include human toxicity, agricultural land occupation, water depletion, metal depletion, ecosystem toxicity, radiation, acidification and eutrophication (proliferation of algae that suffocates all other life forms). (AN)