Reshaping EU Energy Law:Towards Degrowth

Regardless of decades of social mobilisation, scientific research and political declarations to act against climate change, greenhouse gases emissions are spiralling up and are sending us towards a disastrous climate situation in the decades to come. Research shows that relying on a green growth strategy to avoid this fate is at best a gamble. Therefore, a much safer way to tackle climate change is to follow a degrowth strategy, relying on a steep reduction in energy and materials consumption, starting with developed countries. The implementation of such a strategy needs to be reflected in the law, hence also in EU energy law. This would require questioning existing principles, targets and instruments in order to increase the climate ambition level and to ensure targets can be reached on time