The European Institute in Romania (EIR) organised on Tuesday, September 27, 2022, between 10:00 and 11:30 a.m., an event within the Dialogues@EIR series, with the theme #climate diplomacy – new resources and projects for clean energy.
Our guests at the dialogue were Professor Florin Bonciu, Ph.D., Romanian-American University, principal researcher at the Institute of World Economy and member of the EIR`s Scientific Council, Luciana Miu, coordinator of the Clean Economy Program, Energy Policy Group, and university associate, Habilitated doctor Arpad Todor, Faculty of Political Sciences/SNSPA, Euro-Atlantic Center for Resilience (E-ARC). The event was moderated by Ana Maria Anghelescu, expert within the European Studies Unit (EIR).
The event aimed to raise awareness of European initiatives in hydrogen development and building renovation, as well as to identify opportunities offered by climate diplomacy to better respond to European and national needs.
During the dialogue, the following ideas were presented:
- The hydrogen-based economy can make contributions in multiple fields, as a raw material or complementary source of energy to traditional ones, thus allowing the reduction or elimination of pollution in intensive industries (metallurgy, glassmaking, etc.) or transport. Currently, Romania has decided to purchase hydrogen-powered trains.
- The transition to a hydrogen-based economy is, however, a long-term process, being mentioned in this context a series of recent hydrogen regulations of the European Union and the United States of America from 2022, which have aroused the interest of large technological and financial operators for investments and specific activities.
- The analysis criteria that will define the main players in the hydrogen-based economy are the existence of clear strategies and projects, the global distribution of charging stations, respectively the European distribution of hydrogen transport networks, and the existence of professional associations regarding the hydrogen-based economy.
- The European Hydrogen Backbone (EHB) initiative includes thirty-one energy infrastructure operators, united by a common vision of a climate-neutral Europe underpinned by a prosperous renewable and low-carbon hydrogen market. This can bring new opportunities for Romania because pipelines are mainly concentrated in the area of Eastern Europe and in Central Europe.
- The EU “Building Renovation Wave” strategy launched in 2020 aims to increase the energy efficiency of buildings, which contribute 36% to total greenhouse gas emissions and approximately 40% to total energy consumption in the EU.
- The main measures targeted by the strategy include: updating targets, minimum standards, and obligations for heating and cooling from renewable sources; development of European funding opportunities; strengthening the availability of data and information through digitalization; technical assistance for the use of funds dedicated to renovation and for local authorities, as well as the development of necessary skills in these sectors.
- Romania can benefit from these European measures, considering the low rate of renovation of buildings in the country, as well as the existing challenges in the rural environment, and the commitments assumed as an EU member state in terms of achieving climate neutrality by 2050.
- The implementation of green roofs at the level of large cities could represent an option for Romania, but it depends on the interest of the owners’ associations and the local authorities, respectively the ability to attract financing sources to cover the costs.
- Climate diplomacy and international cooperation initiatives in the field of climate change of the EU have become more and more extensive, these objectives being promoted including in the specific partnerships and development policies addressed to the EU’s partners in the Eastern neighborhood, Africa, Asia, or South America.
- The European Union has acquired the ability to impose standards with global effects, as shown by the example of the adoption of measures to implement USB-C port chargers, regardless of the brand of the device, respectively the carbon border adjustment mechanism (Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism – CBAM) through which it is desired to prevent the relocation of polluting production outside the Union. The persuasive power of the EU is correlated with the degree of economic connectivity, security aspects, respectively with the resilience of global energy supply chains.
- In 2021, Romania launched its own climate diplomacy network, which includes 35 embassies, with the aim of promoting national priorities and perspectives on climate-related issues, as well as supporting the objectives agreed upon at the European Union level in this field.