Activities of Caroline ROOSE related to 2023/2073(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
EU development cooperation in support of access to energy in developing countries (A9-0441/2023 - Caroline Roose) (vote)
Reports (1)
REPORT on EU development cooperation in support of access to energy in developing countries
Amendments (77)
Amendment 1 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas SDG 7 stipulates the aim to achieve sustainable access to affordable and clean energy by 203012; energy is at the heart of all SDGs, but The Sustainable Development Goals Report 202312 concludes that the world is still not on track to achieve universal energy access; whereas energy is an enabling factor in development, particularly the development of agriculture, business, communication, education, healthcare and transportation, and in the functioning of the state; whereas SDG 7 stipulates the aim to achieve sustainable access to affordable and clean energy by 2030, notably by calling for greater international cooperation to facilitate access to clean and renewable energy research, infrastructure and technology and to promote investment to these ends; whereas it is essential to strengthen diplomatic efforts to foster greater political ambition in order to effectively address and end energy poverty; __________________ 12 UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, ‘The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2023: Special Edition – July 2023’, New York, USA, 2023.
Amendment 2 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas, according to the UN, as of mid-2023, approximately 733 million people worldwide, 80 % of whom live in sub-Saharan Africa, still do not have access to affordable, reliable, clean, high-quality energy13; Ba. whereas access to energy varies greatly across developing countries; whereas 52 % of the population of sub- Saharan Africa lives without access to electricity and it is the only region in the world where the proportion of people without electricity is increasing; whereas this figure conceals deep disparities, with only 30.4 % of the region’s rural population, compared to 80.7 % of its urban population, having regular access to energy; whereas education is recognised as one of the most essential components of poverty reduction; whereas access to electricity also supports quality education, but only 47 % of schools in sub-Saharan Africa have electricity; Bb. whereas the lack of access to electricity in urban or peri-urban environments affects the populations of large irregular settlements, as well as forcibly displaced people and refugees; whereas even when there is access to electricity, the quality of services is often poor; whereas access to affordable, reliable, clean, high-quality energy is even more difficult in countries affected by conflicts and natural disasters; whereas even in regions that have better access to energy, such as Asia and the Pacific or Latin America and the Caribbean, there are great inequalities between countries and among populations; whereas current projections suggest that in 2030, about 660 million people worldwide will not have access to electricity and around one billion will lack access to clean cooking unless appropriate action is taken; Bc. whereas access to energy is essential for humanitarian and development organisations to deliver efficient humanitarian aid, particularly medical and emergency care; Bd. whereas the energy crisis triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues to take a heavy toll, with high energy prices hitting the most vulnerable the hardest, in particular in developing economies; __________________ 13 The International Renewable Energy Agency, ‘Basic Energy Access Lags Amid Renewable Opportunities New Report Shows’, 6 June 2023.
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas energy poverty, defined as the lack of sustainable, clean and safe energy sources, is, among other things, a gender issue, with women and girls spending, on average, up to 18 hours a dayweek collecting cooking fuels14; Ca. whereas women are greatly under- represented in the energy sector workforce worldwide, particularly in management roles; whereas engaging women as active agents in renewable energy solutions, in line with the EU’s Gender Action Plan III, will improve sustainability and increase positive gender outcomes; Cb. whereas better access to affordable and clean energy will unlock sustainable economic growth, attract businesses and entrepreneurship and improve human health, well-being and security; __________________ 14 UN Development Programme, ‘Energy and Gender Equality’.
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas traditional cooking fuels (solid biomass, kerosene and coal) are the main contributors to carbon emissions, deforestation and climate change and represent a threat to people’s health; whereas EU funding for clean cooking fuels is marginal2.4 billion people worldwide rely on these fuels, resulting in around 3.7 million premature deaths a year, with women and children being the most affected; whereas in 2019, Africa alone recorded 700 000 deaths from household air pollution; whereas EU funding for clean cooking fuels is marginal; whereas even when clean cooking strategies exist, implementation is weak and little finance is available, so even modest gains are hard to obtain, and the adoption and sustained use of improved cookstoves remains low; whereas less than 10 % of people who lack access to clean cooking live in countries that have effective policies and sufficient funding to achieve universal access by 2030; Da. whereas the COVID-19 pandemic and the energy price increase have slowed progress on expanding access to clean cooking; whereas in developing countries that rely heavily on biomass for cooking, the EU should support alternatives to the consumption of wood and promote solutions such as solar cookers; Db. whereas the lack of access to clean cooking increases the time women and girls spend cooking; whereas this reinforces the unequal distribution of domestic work between men and women; whereas it is estimated that access to clean cooking would give women and girls an average of 1.5 more hours per day, which they could dedicate to leisure and/or education;
Amendment 5 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas developing countries have an abundance of renewable energy sources, but often lack an enabling policy and regulatory framework for sustainable energy development and useand the necessary industrial and technological conditions for sustainable energy development and use; whereas they also face multiple challenges, such as climate change, over- indebtedness and rapid demographic growth, which all affect energy demand and consumption; whereas countries such as Namibia and Angola are involved in ambitious renewable energy projects; whereas some developing countries have made notable progress in the field of energy access, such as Senegal, Rwanda and Kenya; whereas the different contexts in each country need to be taken into account in order to achieve breakthroughs on energy access, with appropriate levels of political will and EU support;
Amendment 6 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas the EU has a long tradition of energy cooperation in Africa; whereas the EU together with its Member States provided the vast majority of Official Development Assistance financing for SDG 7 projects in Africa, amounting to EUR 13.8 billion between 2014 and 2020; whereas an estimated 53 % of the disbursements were in the form of loansthis is still not enough and more effort needs to be made; whereas an estimated 53 % of the disbursements were in the form of loans, but this additional debt reduces these countries’ ability to invest in the SDGs, including SDG 7; whereas in 2023, 21 low-income countries in Africa are in, or are at risk of, debt distress; Fa. whereas financial flows for energy remain concentrated in a small group of countries, often leaving least developed countries behind; whereas in terms of geographical targeting, only three of the top ten beneficiaries are least developed countries, which shows that resources for expanding energy access and fighting energy poverty have not been allocated by order of priority;
Amendment 7 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation – a (new)
Citation – a (new)
– having regard to the African leaders Nairobi Declaration on climate change 2023,
Amendment 7 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas the energy transition is severely and persistently underfunded in developing regions, in particular in the least developed countries; whereas the Natural Resource Governance Institute defines the resource curse as the failure of many resource-rich countries to benefit fully from their natural resource wealth, and for governments in these countries to respond effectively to public welfare needs1a; whereas excessive reliance on exports of fossil fuels entails a risk of low economic diversification; Ga. whereas the EU should increase the financing of renewable energies in developing countries, particularly in the new geopolitical context created by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, while addressing corruption and weak institutions, which exacerbate the problems of underfunding, particularly in least developed countries; Gb. whereas the energy autonomy of Small Island Developing States, building on their high renewable energy potential, should remain a clear objective; __________________ 1a Natural Resource Governance Institute, ‘The Resource Curse – The Political and Economic Challenges of Natural Resource Wealth’, NRGI Reader, March 2015.
Amendment 8 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation – b (new)
Citation – b (new)
– having regard to the African People’s Climate and Development Declaration 2023,
Amendment 8 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H
Recital H
H. whereas most EU-funded projects aim to promote electricity generation, yet the distribution segment is the weakest, despite being essential in achieving SDG 7; whereas many developing countries continue to rely on coal as the primary energy source for electricity generation; Ha. whereas the countries most affected by the negative consequences of climate change bear the least responsibility for emissions; whereas Africa is home to almost 18 % of the world’s population but accounts for less than 6 % of global energy use; whereas Africa is responsible for only 3 % of the world’s energy-related CO2 emissions; whereas the countries that make up the G20 account for 80 % of global emissions;
Amendment 9 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital I
Recital I
I. whereas the Africa-EU Energy Partnership was renewed in February 2022 with explicit objectives to promote renewable energy generation;to reflect the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the EU’s priorities on climate change, energy security, REPowerEU and the Global Gateway, which have as their objective the promotion of renewable energy generation and distribution, including for export to Europe; whereas an investment package of approximately EUR 150 billion was announced to support the continents’ common ambitions, as set out in the 2030 Agenda and the African Union’s Agenda 2063, with the aim, among others, of ensuring an energy transition that is cost-effective, modern, efficient, reliable, fair, just and equitable; Ia. whereas what is labelled ‘low-carbon hydrogen’ may also include hydrogen produced using nuclear power and natural gas, meaning it is not necessarily emission-free; whereas green hydrogen from renewable sources is the only type of hydrogen that can truly contribute to climate neutrality in the long term; whereas REPowerEU sets a target of importing 10 million tonnes of green hydrogen annually by 2030; whereas to this end, the Commission signed memorandums of understanding for strategic renewable hydrogen partnerships with Namibia and Egypt in November 2022, among other initiatives; Ib. whereas according to the International Energy Agency’s Global Hydrogen Review 20231a, 99 % of the hydrogen produced worldwide is made from fossil fuels; __________________ 1a International Energy Agency, ‘Global Hydrogen Review 2023’, 2023, and International Energy Agency, ‘Hydrogen’, 2023.
Amendment 10 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
J. whereas green hydrogen has the potential to accelerate the path to the decarbonisation, provided that it is part of a broader strategy to reduce the overall consumption of energy of industrial production in partner countries, provided that it does not slow down the local energy transition and is part of a broader strategy to reduce the overall consumption of energy in developed countries in order to respect planetary boundaries; whereas at the same time, however, due account must be taken of the fact that the necessary infrastructure for green hydrogen is capital- and technology-intensive, that the long-distance transport and storage of hydrogen is energy-intensive and expensive, and that the large-scale production of green hydrogen requires vast amounts of land and water; Ja. whereas the 2030 and 2050 climate objectives will not be achieved without the decarbonisation of key hard-to-abate sectors; whereas importing green hydrogen from non-EU countries is an important part of new EU strategic partnerships; whereas according to the International Energy Agency’s Global Hydrogen Review 2023, cost challenges are threatening the long-term profitability of the deployment of hydrogen production; whereas the deployment of hydrogen production could entail the risk of extending fossil fuel use and extractivist practices, including the possible large-scale appropriation of land, water and energy in developing producer countries; Jb. whereas critical raw materials play a pivotal role in ensuring the accessibility and affordability of clean energy technologies for all, whereas the EU is in the process of establishing a coherent framework to ensure their continuous, secure and responsible supply, while upholding human rights and supporting local development;
Amendment 11 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital K
Recital K
K. whereas decentralised mini-grid and off-grid renewable energy offers good solutions for remote communities, particularly in terms of job creation, education and health, but need to be accompanied by public support to create a viable and responsible business model;
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital L
Recital L
L. whereas the expansion of renewables based on solar and wind power, the production of renewable hydrogen and the construction of hydroelectric dams also raises challenges as they require large areas of land, thus possibly interfering with existing land use and local needs, in particular regarding access to water, and may cause the displacement of local and indigenous communities, as well as harming ecosystems and natural habitats; whereas land and sea areas that could be used for renewable energy generation need to be identified while taking into account respect for biodiversity, the local economy and the consent of indigenous populations; La. whereas the transition to renewables is projected to create more employment in the renewables sector; whereas new renewable technologies have the potential to generate economic opportunities, which in turn have the ability to support the achievement of the right to livelihood and decent work; whereas Africa has a promising future in renewable energy systems, having 60 % of the world’s best solar resources yet only 1 % of installed solar capacity; whereas Latin America is one of the world’s leading regions for renewable energy use and generation; Lb. whereas according to the International Energy Agency, global hydropower capacity is set to increase by 17 % between 2021 and 2030; whereas most untapped hydropower potential lies in developing economies across Africa, Asia and Latin America; whereas, however, large-scale hydropower projects are associated with negative social and environmental impacts ranging from the displacement of vulnerable human populations to the destruction of unique biodiversity; whereas hydropower raises new challenges in the context of climate change, which will dramatically increase the frequency of floods and droughts on the rivers where hydropower projects operate, increasing risks to both the projects’ safety and their capacity to generate electricity;
Amendment 13 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital M
Recital M
M. whereas the EU and partner countries share a common but differentiated responsibility to achieve a sustainable energy transition; whereas EU support for renewable energy projects must, in the first place, meet the local population’s needs before supporting export; whereas the stated desire of certain developing countries to exploit their hydrocarbon resources should also be analysed in the light of the EU’s push for a global pledge at COP28 to phase out fossil fuels; whereas the usage of natural resources for energy generation has the potential to create economic opportunities, however, by prioritising the export of renewable energy, developing countries could potentially jeopardise their domestic energy transition and increase the share of fossil fuel consumption in their own electricity mix; Ma. whereas according to the World Resources Institute, 25 % of the world’s population faces extremely high water stress each year; whereas water is central to growing crops and raising livestock, generating electricity, maintaining human health, fostering equitable societies and meeting the world’s climate goals; Mb. whereas agri-food systems consume about 30 % of the world’s energy and a third of the sector’s greenhouse gas emissions come from energy use; whereas the energy transition and the transformation of agri-food systems are intertwined;
Amendment 14 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Recalls that access to energy is a basic human rightuniversal, affordable and sustainable energy is a basic human right and a precondition for achieving the SDGs and attaining the objective of leaving no one behind; recognises, to this end, the role of public and private financing; stresses that a net- zero carbon future and the development of renewables must go hand in hand with economic diversification, green industrialisation, decarbonisation, poverty reduction and a human rights- based approach;
Amendment 15 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Stresses that ensuring a stable energy supply is not only an economic and logistical issue, but also a geopolitical one; recalls that Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has had a severe impact on global energy markets, particularly in developing countries, and that coordinated action is still needed to ensure stable energy supplies and affordable prices; calls for the EU to foster access to renewable energy in developing countries through policy, regulatory and administrative support, including capacity-building and transfers of technology; encourages partnerships that move away from the exploitation of fossil resources and focus on clean energy use; stresses the need to make sure that green investments contribute to socio- economic development and greater participation by developing countries in the new net-zero energy geopolitical landscape; highlights the need to develop solutions to help deliver renewable energy deployment in developing countries, including marine and river energy, while protecting biodiversity; stresses the significant potential for the installation of offshore renewable energy generation facilities in developing countries; emphasises the need for holistic management of maritime areas, involving all relevant stakeholders and respecting the consent of local communities;
Amendment 16 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. UrStrongly encourages developing countries to commit to energy justice through their regulatory frameworks, which should ensure local acceptance and community participation, community participation, land rights protection and adherence to internationally recognised human rights standards, with the aim of securing access and affordable energy for all; underlines the necessity of linking energy partnerships to the adoption of regulatory frameworks and of providing technical assistance for their enactment;
Amendment 17 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Points out that energy security requires a gender-specific approach; stresses that energy poverty disproportionately affects women and girls; highlights their daily involvement in collecting firewood and charcoal far from their homes; calls for the inclusion of women as active agents in the energy transition process, including in marine conservation areas; calls for the EU to step up its technical support in mainstreaming gender in the energy transition, including by prioritising gender-responsive energy projects that involve women-led energy organisations and businesses and also ensure local ownership, paying particular attention to least developed countries and middle- income countries that suffer from significant intra-country inequalities in terms of access to energy and clean cooking; stresses the importance of gathering gender-disaggregated data on access to energy to guide the EU’s external action regarding energy; points out that energy poverty also affects minorities and marginalised communities;
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Is worried about the health and environmental consequences of household fuelwood emissions, such as respiratory diseases, forest degradation and biodiversity lossand cardiovascular diseases and cancer, forest degradation, greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss; draws attention to the risk associated with the increasing use of unclean cooking fuels to serve the energy needs of the growing population, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa; stresses that in many places, people living in extreme poverty no longer have access to firewood and that, consequently, they heat and cook using other materials found around the home or nearby, such as tyres and other substances that are harmful to health; highlights, against this backdrop, that women and girls are disproportionately affected by household air pollution;
Amendment 19 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Urges the EU to incorporate access to clean cooking as a priority within its energy partnerships with developing countriePoints out that the pace at which access to clean cooking fuels is currently being expanded in many developing countries is not fast enough to meet the related targets under SDG 7 by 2030; acknowledges the multifaceted challenges related to the adoption of clean cooking and appropriate cookstoves that are in line with WHO standards; calls for awareness to be raised of the health risks linked to household air pollution from traditional cooking practices and of the benefits of alternatives; urges the EU to support financially, advocate for and encourage national action in partner countries; further calls for the EU to incorporate access to clean cooking as a priority within its energy partnerships and its multiannual indicative programmes with developing countries and in the programming of cooperation at local, regional and national levels; stresses the importance of consultation with civil society on the ground, particularly with women-led organisations, with a view to achieving gender equality and promoting a more equal division of domestic and care work between men and women in line with the concept of a care society; points out the opportunities presented by Global Gateway initiatives such as the Modern Cooking Facility for Africa and Strengthening the Entrepreneurial Environment for Clean Cooking initiatives; 5a. Calls, furthermore, for the EU to pay particular attention to infrastructure and utilities, including construction of and access to sewage systems, and household or community access to wells or water purification systems;
Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Regrets the devastating impact of the lack of access to electricity on the basic needs of populations; calls for the EU and its Member States to make electrification a priority in their cooperation and partnerships with developing countries; stresses, in particular, the need to invest in generation capacity, especially in sub- Saharan Africa, in order to achieve the objective of universal access to energy; draws attention to opportunities for access to alternative energies, such as unexploited geothermal energy resources; points out that support with the affordability of energy costs is crucial for expanding access to electricity, particularly in Africa, where 30 % of the population cannot afford an essential bundle of electricity services;
Amendment 21 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Expresses concern over the increasing energy needs among refugees and internally displaced persons living in camps; regrets the fact that in isolated areas and humanitarian settings, energy insecurity prevents local health clinics and schools from operating fully; stresses the need to increase the humanitarian aid budget line in the context of the revision of the multiannual financial framework in order to meet humanitarian needs, including by stepping up financial assistance for ensuring energy provision in camps, including through green off- grid, mini-grid and renewable energy projects, so as to guarantee that humanitarian organisations on the ground can provide basic humanitarian aid, particularly medical and urgent care;
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Reiterates its commitment towards energy justice; calls for the EU to support developing countries in implementing rights-based renewable energy regimes that effectively contribute to their sustainable development; believes that the principle of free, prior and informed consent for affected communities is a pre-condition for a successful green and just energy transition; highlights the importance of promoting energy efficiency and local skills and of encouraging technology innovation, technology transfer and technical cooperation in such energy transition projects;
Amendment 23 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Stresses the need for the EU to support developing countries, where required, in establishing or reinforcing regulatory frameworks that guarantee energy distribution and universal service across their territories, as well as good governance capacity and transparency in any energy transition projects; calls for the EU to enhance technical assistance to reform electricity systems; calls, furthermore, on the Commission to report on progress achieved in improving energy access and energy sector regulation through dedicated EU projects and investments in partner developing countries;
Amendment 24 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 – introductory part
Paragraph 9 – introductory part
9. Highlights the potential risks of land-use and water-use conflicts – forced resettlement and expropriation for large- scale renewable energy installations; urges the EU, through its partnerships, to support governments of developing countries to: a) conduct independent and unbiased mapping of traditional land and water use, including for temporal grazing, indigenous cultural heritage and high-value biodiversity systems, prior to the development of renewable energy projects; , with a view to encouraging sustainable land-use planning and assessing the environmental and social impact; b) seek free, prior and informed consent from the local communities, while guaranteeing their right to say no, and their rights to justice, redress and compensation or remuneration; c) define environmental and social criteria and ensure compliance through mechanisms for oversight and grievanceresponsible business practices in line with international regulatory frameworks and ensure their compliance through mechanisms for oversight and grievance; ca) ensure the protection of climate activists; cb) facilitate the sharing of knowledge and best practices between developing countries and regions that have successfully managed land-use conflicts related to energy projects;
Amendment 25 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Notes, with concern, that that for some large- scale green energy projects (such as wind and solar power) ar, like those being set up in dryland areas, for example, without adequate consultation with the customary land users (such as pastoralists) is essential; recalls that traditional communal rights have a rather weak legal status, thereby increasing the risk of land grabbing and are often not implemented, which can potentially increase the risk of land grabbing; calls, against this backdrop, for the EU and its partner countries to recognise and protect indigenous people’s rights to customary ownership and control of their lands and natural resources, as set out in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and International Labour Organization Convention 169, and to comply with the principle of free, prior and informed consent;
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Is worried aboutAcknowledges the impact that water-intensive energy conversion practices, such as hydropower plants, and hydrogen production, can have on agricultural communities; highlights the adverse effects of hydropower dams on rivers and biodiversity, particularly in estuaries, as outlined in the report of the World Commission on Dams of 16 November 2000, among others; stresses, however, the potential to develop osmotic power, particularly in estuaries and deltas, to provide solutions for the generation of renewable energy;
Amendment 27 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
Ba. whereas access to energy largely varies across developing countries; whereas in sub-Saharan Africa 52 % of the population lives without access to electricity and it is the only region where the proportion of people without electricity is increasing;
Amendment 27 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. Recalls that large hydropower projects in developing countries often face a range of challenges, including prohibitive upfront costs, major cost overruns and delays, difficulties in attracting finance, social and environmental footprints, vulnerability to climate change and some poor track records when it comes to delivering the promised power; stresses the importance of promoting sustainable hydropower projects by conducting comprehensive environmental and social impact assessments and ensuring meaningful community participation; is of the opinion that, where possible, priority should be given to other small-scale and different types of renewable energy projects;
Amendment 28 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Stresses that according to the recommendations of the report of the World Commission on Dams of 16 November 2000, any planning of dams should be evaluated according to five values: equity, efficiency, participatory decision-making, sustainability and accountability; highlights, more broadly, that the decision-making process with regard to dams should fully take into account the notion of human rights, as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 and the related covenants adopted thereafter, so as to resolve complex issues surrounding water, dams and development; underlines that the EU should work within the remit of its partnerships with developing countries to ensure that the communities affected by dam projects are adequately compensated and provided with appropriate livelihood restoration measures;
Amendment 29 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Notes, with concern, that Africa hosts an increasing number of fossil fuel projects, which risks preventing it from making a timely leap to renewable energy; further notes that although Africa is home to 18 % of the world’s population, it only accounts for 6 % of global energy consumption; recalls that a major portion of current oil, gas and coal production in Africa is destined for export, while the continent continues to be plagued by energy poverty; insists that it is necessary to prioritise investment in sustainable renewable energy infrastructure in Africa, particularly in rural and marginalised communities, through the establishment of decentralised energy systems and microgrid networks; 14a. Calls for the EU to encourage the development of energy systems that do not involve or rely on the expansion of existing or new fossil fuel projects, in line with the recommendations of the International Energy Agency; stresses the importance of win-win partnerships that also benefit exporting countries and their populations in terms of renewable energy;
Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Recalls that renewables-based alternatives can increasingly provide a cheaper, more accessible, inclusive and reliable source of energy; stresses the role of renewable energy in increasing the adaptation and efficiency of agri-food systems; calls for the EU and its Member States to make the use of renewables in agri-food systems a priority in their partnership agreements with non-EU countries; recommends carrying out a joint energy transition planning exercise within the framework of the partnership between the EU and the African Union, drawing on the African, Caribbean and Pacific-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly and African civil societies, while respecting the sovereignty of African nations; recommends drawing up guidelines on the fair sharing of investments, revenues, technologies and skills; calls for the EU and its Member States to include education and training programmes for the local population in their energy partnerships with non-EU countries in order to support the energy transition on the ground and create employment opportunities for local communities; likewise calls for the EU to step up scientific cooperation with developing countries on access to research and renewable energy technologies; believes that the generation matrix of renewable energies should be changed in order to move away from a purely extractivist perspective;
Amendment 31 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. WStresses the crucial role of green hydrogen as a tool to decarbonise the energy system, achieve net-zero emissions worldwide by 2050 and attain the Paris Agreement goals, but recalls the importance of life cycle assessments that take into account the production and transport modes used; warns against the potential risk of a new ‘green hydrogen curse’ that would foster developing countries’ reliance on exports and could crowd out investments in the development of local energy markets; is concerned about the lack of required infrastructurestates that the green hydrogen industry can play a crucial role in the development of resource-rich developing countries if certain factors are present, such as good governance, the implementation and monitoring of a sound legal framework, corruption prevention, functioning rule of law, and transparency with regard to financial flows; highlights the need to address global infrastructure related to the production, storage, transport, distribution and consumption of green hydrogen, the long-distance transport costs and climate impact, the limited investments and financial capacities and the risks linked to weak institutions and corruption; calls for the EU to support the development of a green hydrogen value chain only when it can guarantee that it equally benefits exporting countries and their populations in some developing countries; calls for the EU to support, notably through the Global Gateway initiative, win-win partnerships that benefit both importing and exporting countries and their populations; calls, to this end, for the EU to support the development of a green hydrogen value chain when it brings equal social and economic benefits to exporting countries, notably in terms of the training and re-skilling of the local population, job creation, the decarbonisation of hard-to- abate industrial activities and access to cleaner mobility and energy; calls for the EU to support economic diversification and domestic access to electricity and water, with full respect for ecosystems and with a view to reducing excessive reliance on exports of fossil fuels; emphasises that enhanced collaboration between EU and partner country businesses and SMEs, combining the expertise of different like- minded partners, can create a pathway to sound entrepreneurship in the green hydrogen sector;
Amendment 32 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B b (new)
Recital B b (new)
Bb. whereas, as a result of the rural- urban divide, energy insecurity rates also vary within countries; whereas in SSA only 30.4 % of the rural population, compared to 80.7 % of the urban population, have regular access to energy;
Amendment 32 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Acknowledges that the expansion of green hydrogen alsocan hasve negative social and environmental impacts in the Global South, in particular as it relies on mining and the use of raw materials and rare earths, which require large quantities of fresh water and engender water pollution; stresses the need toimportance of developing a global resource governance system that prioritises sustainability, efficiency and circularity, with a view to reducing global demand for virgin materials, while also recognising the challenges in achieving this; emphasises the need for a systemic approach to assessing the local opportunities and consequences of green hydrogen production for European needs in developing countries; stresses that the EU should ensure the sustainability of the extracted, processed and recycled critical raw materials that are fundamental for hydrogen and the other net-zero technologies;
Amendment 33 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B c (new)
Recital B c (new)
Bc. whereas most people without access to electricity live in rural areas; while in urban or peri-urban environments, it concerns populations of large irregular settlements as well as forcibly displaced people or refugees; whereas even when there is access, the quality of services is often poor;
Amendment 33 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Notes the proliferation of desalination plants to deal with water scarcity; acknowledges that desalination plants can benefit local communities and the domestic economy, but points out that seawater desalination can have major environmental impacts, in particular on marine biodiversity; calls for the promotion of a sustainable approach to water desalination and of solutions that have no impact on coastal areas, such as deep sea desalination; highlights that reducing water use and recycling or reusing treated wastewater is often less expensive than desalination;
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Stresses that EU financing for renewable energy should be in line with the principles of equity, sustainability and climate justice, which could comprise, among other things, debt assistance, debt relief and cancellation, debt restructuring and the Loss and Damage Fund; 23a. Stresses that investments in renewable hydrogen produced by non-EU countries should be based on international due diligence principles, including but not limited to the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Business Conduct;
Amendment 35 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Calls for the EU and its Member States to increase the amount of oOfficial dDevelopment aAssistance it devotesd to the energy sector, especially under Heading 6 of the next multiannual financial framework, and particularly in Africa, while prioritising grants over loans and reorienting financing towards countries with lower rates of access to electricity towith the aim of supporting their clean and renewable energy transitions and to develop programmes for facilitating the transfer of knowledge and green technologiesin line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; encourages the development of public and private partnerships as well as programmes for facilitating the transfer of knowledge and green technologies; highlights that many African countries’ electricity sectors have specific characteristics (such as sharp growth in demand, small grids, fragile national utilities and customers’ limited ability to pay) that have to be taken into account; 24a. Stresses that access to financing for a just energy transition must be simplified and accelerated for developing countries; highlights that the EU can offer innovative solutions to speed up the green transition and increase the global share of renewables; calls, to this end, for the EU and its Member States to consider debt- for-climate swaps so that debtor developing countries can use the owed money to finance climate change adaptation and mitigation projects; calls, more broadly, for a long-term debt-for- climate swap mechanism to be made operational within the framework of the G20 Debt Service Suspension Initiative and for IMF Special Drawing Rights to be rechannelled;
Amendment 36 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24 a. Calls for the EU and its Member States to increase the funding devoted to helping developing countries to adapt to climate change, making energy systems more resilient against climate risks; underlines the relevance of green energy in agroforestry and climate change adaptation projects, such as the Great Green Wall; urges the Commission to increase the number of programmes under the Global Gateway initiative that prioritise basic access to electricity and clean cooking, particularly in the countries most in need; stresses the importance of the private sector in scaling up funding for basic access to energy and clean cooking while guaranteeing public access and strengthening national public energy suppliers; calls, to this end, on the Commission to use the European Fund for Sustainable Development Plus as an instrument to support private-sector investments in developing countries in order to strengthen the energy infrastructure and provide better access to energy and clean cooking for domestic use;
Amendment 37 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 – introductory part
Paragraph 26 – introductory part
26. Calls for the EU and European development finance institutions to: a) direct investments into the distribution segment, in particular rural electrification, and to prioritise decentralised, small-scale and off-grid renewable energy systems; b) ensure that when such solutions are more appropriate than grid extension for enabling rural populations to access electricity; aa) coordinate investments among different institutions to maximise the impact and avoid the duplication of efforts; b) ensure that independent and unbiased human rights impact assessments are carried out and that all required governance, social and environmental safeguards and remedies are duly implemented and monitored, including the human rights and land tenure guidelines; ba) ensure that local communities are included and properly informed throughout the entire project planning and delivery phases; c) implement and strictly apply the rights- based approach, providing effective complaint and redress mechanisms, notablyin compliance with international standards of responsible business practices, and requiring impact studies for projects, particularly with regard to climate change, inequalities and the displacement of local populations, including in projects under the Global Gateway initiative; d) ensure that any dam projects with approved financing respect the World Commission on Dams’ guidelines; da) support local and regional electricity interconnection projects; db) offer technical support and capacity- building initiatives to empower developing countries to implement clean energy projects effectively;
Amendment 46 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas traditional cooking fuels (solid biomass, kerosene and coal) are the main contributors to carbon emissions and represent a threat to people’s health; whereas 2.4 billion people worldwide rely on these fuels; whereas in 2019 alone Africa recorded 700,000 deaths from household air pollution; whereas EU funding for clean cooking fuels is marginal;
Amendment 52 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas developing countries have an abundance of renewable energy sources, but often lack an enabling policy and regulatory framework for sustainable energy development and use, while they also face multiple challenges such as climate change, over-indebtedness and a rapid demographic growth, which all affect energy demand and consumption;
Amendment 58 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas the EU has a long tradition of energy cooperation in Africa; whereas the EU together with its Member States provided the vast majority of Official Development Assistance financing for SDG 7 projects in Africa amounting to EUR 13.8 billion between 2014 and 2020; whereas an estimated 53 % of the disbursements were in the form of loans; whereas in 2023, 21 low-income countries in Africa are in, or at risk of, debt distress;
Amendment 69 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H a (new)
Recital H a (new)
Amendment 73 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital I
Recital I
I. whereas the Africa-EU Energy Partnership was renewed in February 2022 with explicitto reflect upon the African Union’s Agenda 2063 as well as the EU’s priorities on climate change, energy security, REPowerEU and the Global Gateway, with the objectives to promote renewable energy generation, including for export to Europe;
Amendment 76 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital I a (new)
Recital I a (new)
Amendment 78 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital I b (new)
Recital I b (new)
Ib. whereas according to the International Energy Agency, 99 per cent of globally produced hydrogen is made from fossil fuels;
Amendment 80 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
J. whereas green hydrogen has the potential to accelerate the path to decarbonisation, provided that it does not slow down local energy transition and it is part of a broader strategy to reduce the overall consumption of energy in developed countries to respect planetary boundaries; at the same time, however, the necessary infrastructure is highly intensive on capital and technology, the long distance transport and storage of hydrogen is energy intensive, expensive and inefficient, while the production of green hydrogen on a large scale requires vast amounts of land and water;
Amendment 84 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J a (new)
Recital J a (new)
Ja. whereas according to the Global Hydrogen Review 2023 of the International Energy Agency (IEA), costs challenges are threatening the long-term profitability of the deployment of hydrogen production; whereas the deployment of hydrogen production risks extending fossil fuel use and extractivist practices, including the large-scale appropriation of land, water, and energy in developing producing countries; which can lead to the displacement of communities and human rights violations notably of indigenous people;
Amendment 87 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital K
Recital K
K. whereas decentralised mini-grid and off-grid renewable energy offer good solutions for remote communities, notably in terms of job creation, education and health, but need to be accompanied by public support to create a viable business model;
Amendment 95 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital L a (new)
Recital L a (new)
La. whereas by prioritising the export of renewable energy, developing countries could potentially jeopardise their domestic energy transition and boost fossil fuel consumption in their own electricity mix;
Amendment 98 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital M a (new)
Recital M a (new)
Ma. whereas according to the World Resources Institute, 25% of the world’s population face extremely high water stress each year;
Amendment 99 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital M b (new)
Recital M b (new)
Mb. whereas water is central to growing crops and raising livestock, producing electricity, maintaining human health, fostering equitable societies and meeting the world’s climate goals;
Amendment 100 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital M c (new)
Recital M c (new)
Mc. whereas according to the International Energy Agency, global hydropower capacity is set to increase by 17% between 2021 and 2030; whereas most untapped hydropower potential lies in developing economies across Africa, Asia and Latin America; but whereas large-scale hydropower projects are associated with negative social and environmental impact, from the displacement of vulnerable human populations to the destruction of unique biodiversity;
Amendment 101 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital M d (new)
Recital M d (new)
Md. whereas hydropower raises new challenges in the context of climate change, which will dramatically increase the frequency of floods and droughts on the rivers where hydropower projects operate, increasing risks both to their safety and capacity to generate electricity;
Amendment 122 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Is worried about the health and environmental consequences of household fuelwood emissions, such as respiratory diseases, forest degradation and biodiversity loss; draws attention to the risk of a return to emission fuels to serve energy needs of the growing population especially in SSA;
Amendment 131 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Expresses concern over the increasing energy needs among refugees and internally displaced persons living in camps; regrets that in isolated areas and humanitarian settings energy insecurity prevents local health clinics and schools to fully operate;
Amendment 141 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Calls on the EU to enhance technical assistance to reform the electricity systems and establish regulatory frameworks that guarantee energy distribution and universal service across territories; furthermore calls on the Commission to report on progress achieved in improving energy access and the regulation of the energy sector;
Amendment 144 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 – introductory part
Paragraph 9 – introductory part
9. Highlights the risks of land-use and water-use conflicts – forced resettlement and expropriation for large-scale renewable energy installations; urges the EU to support governments of developing countries to:
Amendment 147 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 – point a
Paragraph 9 – point a
a) conduct independent and unbiased mapping of traditional land and water use, including for temporal grazing, indigenous cultural heritage and high-value biodiversity systems, prior to the development of renewable energy projects;
Amendment 156 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Notes, with concern, that large- scale green energy projects (such as wind and solar power) are being set up in dryland areas, for example, without adequate consultation with the customary land users (such as pastoralists); recalls that traditional communal rights have a weak legal status and are often not implemented, thereby increasing the risk of land grabbing; against this background, urges the EU and its partner countries to recognise and protect indigenous people’s rights to customary ownership and control of their lands and natural resources as set out in the UNDRIP and ILO Convention 169 and to comply with the principle of Free, Prior and Informed consent;
Amendment 159 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11a. Recalls that large hydropower projects face a range of challenges, including often prohibitive upfront costs, major cost overruns and delays, difficulties in attracting finance, enormous social and environmental footprints, vulnerability to climate change, and poor track records of delivering promised power;
Amendment 166 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Stresses that any planning of dams should be evaluated according to five values: equity, efficiency, participatory decision-making, sustainability and accountability, in line with the recommendations of the report of the World Commission on Dams of 16 November 2000; more broadly, urges that the decision-making process on dams takes fully into account the notion of human rights, as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 and the related covenants adopted thereafter, so as to resolve complex issues surrounding water, dams and development;
Amendment 174 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Calls on the EU to ensure that the energy systems to be developed do not involve or rely on the expansion of existing or new fossil fuel projects, in line with the recommendations of the International Energy Agency (IEA);
Amendment 182 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Recalls that the Glasgow Statement on International Public Support for the Clean Energy Transition of 2021 commits signatories to end new direct public support for the fossil fuel energy sector; calls on the EU and its Member States to lead by example and to stop financing fossil fuel projects;
Amendment 185 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 b (new)
Paragraph 15 b (new)
15b. Recalls that renewable-based alternatives can increasingly provide a cheaper, more accessible, inclusive and reliable source of energy than fossil fuels;
Amendment 198 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Acknowledges that the expansion of green hydrogen also has negative social and environmental impacts in the Global South, in particular as it relies on mining and the use of raw materials and rare earths, which require large quantities of fresh water and engender water pollution; stresses the need to develop a global resource governance system that prioritises sustainability, efficiency and circularity, with a view to reducing global demand for virgin materials;
Amendment 202 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Stresses the need to regulate water as a resource for green hydrogen production in a sustainable way, notably in arid regions, so that it does not jeopardise local populations’ access to water or result in rising water costs;
Amendment 206 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
Paragraph 20 a (new)
20a. Highlights the potential risks of water grabbing and water pollution associated to foreign direct investments in large-scale land acquisitions for renewable energy; calls on the EU and its Member States to enact water-related mandatory due diligence and reporting standards for corporations;
Amendment 208 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Insists that green hydrogen strategies must follow strong social and sustainability standards; calls for the EU to establish appropriate monitoring frameworks in its partnership agreements that allow for assessing their broader impact on SDG performance, notably through the definition of environmental, social and governance indicators and measurable targets; calls for mandatory environmental impact studies to be conducted, including for desalination, and for biodiversity hotspots to be excluded as sites for green hydrogen facilities; believes that green hydrogen production should demonstrate reliance on materials sourced under environmental and human rights standards for extractive activities (for instance, from countries that are signatories to the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative);
Amendment 213 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Stresses that EU financing for renewable energy should be in line with the principles of equity and climate justice, which should comprise, inter alia, financial support, debt assistance, debt relief and cancellation, as well as the fund for Loss and Damage;
Amendment 216 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23a. Highlights that many African countries’ electricity sectors present particularities (sharp growth in demand, small grids, fragile national utilities and customers’ limited ability to pay) which call into question the development model that prioritizes the private sector for production;
Amendment 234 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 a (new)
Paragraph 26 a (new)
Amendment 235 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 b (new)
Paragraph 26 b (new)
26b. Welcomes the 2023 COP28 Presidency programme priorities to fast track the energy transition to phase out GHG emissions by 2030 and to globally promote a people-centred approach to climate finance and energy infrastructural projects;
Amendment 236 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 c (new)
Paragraph 26 c (new)
26c. Calls on the EU to play a key role in negotiations on mitigation measures for developing countries in order to combat the harmful effects of the use of polluting fuels, while promoting sustainable and clean energy development;