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The dirty secret of European energy sector is coal. Many Member States of European Union still consider coal to be source of electricity production. In this way, y want to guarantee security of supply, but also to prevent job losses in coal industry.
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At first glance, se concerns seem plausible, but with help of EU a rapid Europe-wide phasing out of coal-fired electricity could succeed. Security of supply is an important and justified concern of any national government. A country that today is dependent on coal cannot, of course, switch to renewable energy overnight. But several countries have already shown that coal can be phased out without compromising security of supply and competitiveness. The transition to an emission-free energy sector is planned.
Simon Tagliapietra
Works as an energy specialist at think tank Bruegel Institute in Brussels.
In end, coal phase-out is a good and FrühzeitigePlanung, with which we must start now. The socio-economic argument that phasing out of coal leads to more extensive job losses is not convincing. The number of jobs in European coal industry is negligible in terms of overall labour market. Poland, country in EU with most jobs in coal industry, employs about 100,000 people in this sector. That is only 0.7 percent of Poland’s total employment. In all or EU countries, less than 30,000 people work in industry, each corresponding to less than 0.6 percent of total employment.
Mine closures are painful
Of course, closure of mines will be painful for workers and communities affected. This is where Europe is called for. Sollteeingreifen EU and offer its support. Specifically, EU should set up a programme to support workers by mine closures. As a result, political resistance to phasing out of coal could be reduced and incentives for coal-dependent countries to start or advance ir plans for coal phase-out.
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In order to implement this support programme for coal-dependent regions, EU would not even have to create new structures. At EU level, re is already ‘ European Globalisation Adjustment Fund ‘ (EGF). Until now, he has been supporting ehemaligeArbeitnehmer in job search and retraining, as well as in ways of self-employment, if its operation was closed as a result of globalization.
The scope of EGF could also be extended to coal regions by a relatively small change in current EU budget (2014-2020). Around 150 million euros should be allocated to support European coal regions per Jahrfür. This represents only 0.1 per cent of annual EU budget. With this initiative, EU could provide for an accelerated coal phase-out in Europe, particularly in Poland (80 percent of coal in mix), Germany, Czech, Bulgaria and Greece (more than 40 per cent of coal electricity).
The EU could encourage coal-dependent countries to follow example of Great Britain, France, Italy and Nerlands, which have recently announced that y will shut down ir Kohlekraftwerkeim next decade.
