2023/2073(INI) | [ParlTrack]

Mónica Silvana GONZÁLEZ, Carlos ZORRINHO, Robert HAJŠEL

Motion for a resolution
Citation 1

– having regard to the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular SDG 1 on poverty eradication, SDG 7 on ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all, SDG 9 on industry and infrastructure, ~~and~~ SDG 13 on climate action, and SDG 5 on achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls,

Amendment 10 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation – b (new)

– having regard to the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU/2023/1185) of 10 February 2023 supplementing Directive (EU) 2018/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council by establishing a minimum threshold for greenhouse gas emissions savings of recycled carbon fuels and by specifying a methodology for assessing greenhouse gas emissions savings from renewable liquid and gaseous transport fuels of non- biological origin and from recycled carbon fuels,

Amendment 100 #

Motion for a resolution
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)

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 102 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital M a (new)

Ma. whereas agri-food systems consume about 30% of the world's energy and a third of its emissions of greenhouse gases come from energy use; whereas energy transition and the transformation of agri-food systems are entwined;

Amendment 103 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Recalls that access to affordable and sustainable energy is a basic human right and a precondition for health, education and economic prosperity; underlines that energy access is an essential multiplier to achieve the SDGs; 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 104 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Recalls that universal and public access to energy is a basic human right; stresses that a net-zero carbon future and the development of renewables must go hand in hand with poverty reduction and a human rights- based approach;

Amendment 105 #

Ádám KÓSA, Lívia JÁRÓKA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Recalls that access to energy is a basic ~~human~~ right; stresses that a net-zero carbon future and the development of renewables must go hand in hand with poverty reduction and a human rights- based approach; considers, as regards the future of energy policy, that in accordance with the Granada Declaration the green transition should ensure that the economic model is sustainable and that no one is left behind;

Amendment 106 #

Catherine CHABAUD, Barry ANDREWS, Charles GOERENS, Jan-Christoph OETJEN, Stéphane BIJOUX

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Stresses that for the goal of ensuring universal access to clean energy to be achieved, generation facilities will need to be built on a large scale, especially in sub-Saharan Africa;

Amendment 107 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Calls for the EU to support access to clean energy in developing countries through capacity-building and transfers of technology; highlights the need to develop solutions to help deliver renewable energy deployment in developing countries, including marine and river energy; encourages partnerships moving away from the exploitation of fossil resources and focusing rather on clean energy use and biodiversity conservation in developing countries;

Amendment 108 #

Motion for a resolution
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; deplores the increase in conflicts that contribute to energy crises, particularly in developing countries;

Amendment 109 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 b (new)

1b. Recalls that Russia's unjustified and totally unprovoked war against Ukraine has had a severe impact on energy markets, and coordinated action is still needed to ensure stable energy supplies and affordable prices;

Amendment 11 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation – a (new)

– having regard to the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU/2023/1184) of 10 February 2023 supplementing Directive (EU) 2018/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council by establishing a Union methodology setting out detailed rules for the production of renewable liquid and gaseous transport fuels of non-biological origin,

Amendment 110 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Urges developing countries to commit to energy justice through their regulatory frameworks, which should ensure local acceptance and community participation; stresses the need to involve people living in the regions concerned in the drafting of legislation, decision- making, implementation and monitoring; considers that we must achieve a just energy transition, ensuring access to secure and affordable energy for all;

Amendment 111 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Urges developing countries to 2. 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 recognized human rights standards; underlines the necessity of linking energy partnerships to the adoption of regulatory frameworks and providing technical assistance for their enactment;

Amendment 112 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. Points out that energy poverty disproportionately affects ~~women and girl~~, among others, women and girls, groups facing multiple disadvantages and social exclusion, minorities and people living in extreme poverty, as well as disadvantaged and marginalised communities and families, often victims of segregation, who face deprivation on a daily basis; highlights their daily involvement in collecting firewood and charcoal far from their homes; calls for the EU to step up its support in mainstreaming gender in the energy transition;

Amendment 113 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. Points out that energy security entails a gender-specific inequality; 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 EU to step up its support in mainstreaming gender in the energy transition; calls for inclusion of women as active agents in the energy transition process, including any women’s organisations and enterprises;

Amendment 114 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. Points out that energy poverty disproportionately affects women and girls; highlights their daily involvement in collecting firewood and charcoal far from their homes; calls for the EU to step up its support in mainstreaming gender in the energy transition, including through the prioritization of gender-responsive energy projects and initiatives in developing countries, as well as providing technical assistance to integrate gender considerations into the energy transition strategies of developing countries;

Amendment 115 #

Catherine CHABAUD, Barry ANDREWS, Charles GOERENS, Jan-Christoph OETJEN, Stéphane BIJOUX

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. Points out that energy poverty disproportionately affects women and girls; highlights their daily involvement in collecting firewood and charcoal far from their homes; calls for the EU to step up its support in mainstreaming gender in the energy transition with particular attention to least developed countries and middle income countries with important intra- country inequalities in access to energy and clean cooking;

Amendment 116 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. Points out that energy poverty disproportionately affects women and girls; highlights their daily involvement in collecting firewood and charcoal far from their homes; calls for the EU to step up its support in mainstreaming gender in the energy transition; stresses that particular attention should be given to the crucial role of women and the youth in developing countries, including in marine conservation areas;

Amendment 117 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

Amendment 118 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Regrets the devastating impact that the lack of access to electricity has on the basic needs of populations: food insecurity, unhealthy environments, poor healthcare, economic activities that are not productive enough to reduce poverty, digital isolation, lack of educational resources, etc;

Amendment 119 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Is worried about the health and environmental consequences of household fuelwood emissions, which are obtained unsustainably, such as respiratory diseases and cancer, forest degradation and biodiversity loss; highlights that women and girls are disproportionately affected by household air pollution; stresses that any new projects for clean cooking should incorporate the gender perspective and should take into account the different gender impacts;

Amendment 12 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation – c (new)

– having regard to the Commission communication of 16 March 2023 entitled ‘on the European Hydrogen Bank’ (COM/2023/156),

Amendment 120 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Is worried about the health and environmental consequences of household fuelwood emissions, such as respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, forest degradation and biodiversity loss;

Amendment 121 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Is worried about the health and environmental consequences of household fuelwood emissions, such as respiratory diseases, forest degradation and biodiversity loss; 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 which are harmful to health;

Amendment 122 #

Motion for a resolution
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 123 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Is concerned that the use of biomass for cooking will contribute to accelerating forest degradation and greenhouse gas emissions through inefficient burning;

Amendment 124 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

~~4. Is worried about the health and 4. environmental consequences of household fuelwood emissions, such as respiratory diseases, forest degradation and biodiversity los~~Calls on the EU and its Member States to make electrification a priority in their cooperation and partnerships with developing countries;

Amendment 125 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. UPoints out that the current pace of access to clean cooking fuels in many developing countries is not fast enough to meet the related targets in SDG 7 by 2030; urges the EU to incorporate access to clean cooking as a priority within its energy partnerships with developing countries;

Amendment 126 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Urges the EU to incorporate access to clean cooking as a priority within its energy partnerships with developing countries; acknowledges that clean cooking is challenging to tackle due to many factors (i.e. fragmentation of the market, affordability of artisanal cooking solutions, high cost of more efficient or modern solutions, users’ habits); fully supports the efforts of the EU in this respect; urges the EU to support financially, advocate for and encourage national action in partner countries; calls for awareness raising of the health risks of household air pollution from traditional cooking practices as well as of the benefits of alternatives; points out the opportunities of Global Gateway initiatives such as the 'Modern Cooking Facility for Africa (MCFA)' and the 'Strengthening the Entrepreneurial Environment for Clean Cooking' initiatives and stresses that for the success of any such initiatives, women should be put at the centre as agents of change;

Amendment 127 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Urges the EU to incorporate access to clean cooking as a priority within its energy partnerships with developing countries to promote a more equal sharing of unpaid care between women and men in line with the concept of care society, to decrease the deaths related to air pollution and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; urges the EU and its Member States to include clean cooking as a priority in its multi-annual indicative programmes in partner countries at local, regional and national level and to do so in consultation with civil society on the ground, especially with women-led organisations that work on access to clean cooking to push for change and make access to clean cooking a priority;

Amendment 128 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Urges the EU to incorporate access to clean cooking as a priority within its energy partnerships with developing countries, and 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 129 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Draws attention to the opportunities for access to alternative energies, such as unexploited geothermal energy resources, which can make daily life easier for communities and families, regardless of the season; calls on the EU to ensure adequate support for households given that these networks are extremely costly for them;

Amendment 13 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation – d (new)

– having regard to the Action Plan on Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment in External Action 2021– 2025 (GAP III),

Amendment 130 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Points out that affordability support for energy costs is crucial to expand access to electricity, especially in Africa where 30% of its population cannot afford an essential bundle of electricity services;

Amendment 131 #

Motion for a resolution
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 132 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Expresses concern over the increasing energy needs among refugees and internally displaced persons living in camps; calls the EU and Member States to increase energy investments for refugees and displaced people within national regulatory and host government processes; stresses the importance of scaling-up the efforts to guarantee that humanitarian organisations on the ground have access to energy to perform basic humanitarian aid, especially medical and urgent care; calls to explore all possible options to better guarantee access to energy for humanitarian organisations including off-grid, mini- grid and renewable energy;

Amendment 133 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Expresses concern over the increasing energy needs among refugees and internally displaced persons living in camps; stresses, in light of the MFF mid- term review, the need to utilize forthcoming increases in the Humanitarian Aid (HUMA) budgetary line to step up financial assistance for ensuring energy provision in camps;

Amendment 134 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. Urges the EU and its Member States to ensure policy coherence for sustainable development across the EU external energy agenda; stresses the need for the EU to support developing countries, where required, in reinforcing their legal frameworks, good governance capacity and transparency in any energy transition projects to ensure that they add value in those developing countries while also being consistent with the principle of Policy Coherence for Development (PCD) as laid down in Article 208 TFEU;

Amendment 135 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. Urges the EU and its Member States to ensure policy coherence for sustainable development across the EU external energy agenda, which should be tailored to local specificities and needs;

Amendment 136 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

Amendment 137 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

8. Reiterates its commitment towards energy justice; calls for the EU to support developing countries in implementing rights-based renewable energy regimes; 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~~EU should ensure meaningful consultation with directly affected communities as well as enabling them to take an active participation in decision-making processes for a successful green and just energy transition; highlights the importance of promoting local skills, encouraging technology innovation and transferring technological and technical cooperation in such energy transition projects;

Amendment 138 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

Amendment 139 #

Ádám KÓSA, Lívia JÁRÓKA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

8. Reiterates its commitment towards energy justice; calls for the EU to support developing countries in implementing rights-based renewable energy regimes; 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; stresses that energy efficiency and efficient use of resources should also be taken into account: in order to decarbonise the economy cost-effectively, all clean technologies need to be supported, with nuclear energy, as a clean technology, also contributing to the successful decarbonisation of the energy system;

Amendment 14 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation – b (new)

– having regard to the policy brief of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations of 2018 entitled “Policy Brief 12 Global Progress of SDG7-Energy and Gender”,

Amendment 140 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)

8a. Endorses nuclear energy as being reliable, clean and healthier than most alternatives; notes the need to take a realistic approach to renewable energy initiatives calls for further work towards a rational policy on hydrogen,which is a more realistic zero-emission fuel for aviation, shipping and heavy-duty vehicles;

Amendment 141 #

Motion for a resolution
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 142 #

Mónica Silvana GONZÁLEZ, Carlos ZORRINHO, Robert HAJŠEL

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 – introductory part

9. Highlights thpossible risks of land- use conflicts – forced resettlement and expropriation for large-scale renewable energy installations; urges the EU to support governments of developing countries to:

Amendment 143 #

Motion for a resolution
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 144 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 – introductory part

Amendment 145 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 – point a

a) set appropriate and feasible risk mitigation measures, such as, conduct mapping of traditional land use, including for ~~temporal grazing,~~ indigenous cultural heritage and high- value biodiversity systems, prior to the development of renewable energy projects, and ensure their continuous monitoring;

Amendment 146 #

Motion for a resolution
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 147 #

Motion for a resolution
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 148 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 – point a a (new)

aa) encourage sustainable land-use planning, including thorough assessments of potential project sites, consideration of environmental and social impacts, and avoidance of areas with high risks of land-use conflicts;

Amendment 149 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 – point b

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~~ensure meaningful consultation with directly affected communities as well as enabling them to take an active participation in decision-making processes;

Amendment 15 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation – e (new)

– having regard to the report of the Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLA) from May 2022 entitled “Energy in Latin America and the Caribbean: access, renewability and efficiency”,

Amendment 150 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 – point c

c) ~~define environmental and social criteria and ensure compliance through mechanisms for oversight and grievan~~ensure compliance with responsible business practices;

Amendment 151 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 – point c

c) define environmental and social criteria that can be incorporated into strong regulatory frameworks and ensure compliance through mechanisms for oversight and grievance;

Amendment 152 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 – point c a (new)

ca) facilitate knowledge sharing and best practices exchange between developing countries and regions that have successfully managed land-use conflicts related to energy projects;

Amendment 153 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 – point c a (new)

ca) ensure the protection of its climate activists;

Amendment 154 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

Amendment 155 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Notes, with concern, that some 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, thereby increasing the risk of land grabbing;

Amendment 156 #

Motion for a resolution
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 157 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)

10a. Stresses the need to make sure that the European Union develops partnerships that provide policy, regulatory and administrative support to developing countries based on best EU practices; highlights the importance of respecting the rights and interests of local communities; stresses the need to make sure that green investments contribute to socioeconomic development and a greater participation of developing countries in the new net-zero energy geopolitical landscape;

Amendment 158 #

11a. Stresses the significant potential in developing countries for offshore renewable energy production facilities to be installed; emphasises the need for holistic management of maritime areas, involving all stakeholders and respecting the consent of local communities;

Amendment 159 #

Motion for a resolution
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 16 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation – a (new)

– having regard to the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and to the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Business Conduct,

Amendment 160 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. Is worried about the impact that water-intensive energy conversion practices, such as hydropower plants, can have on agricultural communities;

Amendment 161 #

Stéphane BIJOUX, Catherine CHABAUD

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. ~~Is worried about~~Stresses the need to better assess the impact that water-intensive energy conversion practices, such as hydropower plants, have on agricultural communities;

Amendment 162 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. Is worried about the impact that water-intensive energy conversion practices, such as hydropower plants, have on agricultural communities; stresses the strong potential to develop osmotic energy to provide solutions for the production of renewable energy using water, particularly in estuaries and deltas;

Amendment 163 #

Catherine CHABAUD, Barry ANDREWS, Charles GOERENS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. Is worried about the impact that water-intensive energy conversion practices, such as hydropower plants, have on agricultural communities; highlights the adverse effects of hydropower dams on rivers and biodiversity, especially in estuaries;

Amendment 164 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. Is worried about the impact that water-intensive energy conversion practices, such as hydropower plants and hydrogen production, have on agricultural communities;

Amendment 165 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. Is worried about the impact that water-intensive energy conversion practices, such as hydropower plants, have on agricultural communities, which can lead to loss of water availability for irrigation and increased vulnerability to climate change; stresses the importance of promoting sustainable hydropower projects by conducting comprehensive environmental and social impact assessments, implementing sustainable reservoir management strategies, and ensuring meaningful community participation; is of the opinion that, where possible, priority should be given to renewable energy sources, such as solar or wind energy, that have a lower impact on water resources in order to reduce reliance on water-intensive conversion practices;

Amendment 166 #

Motion for a resolution
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 167 #

Catherine CHABAUD, Barry ANDREWS, Charles GOERENS, Jan-Christoph OETJEN, Stéphane BIJOUX

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13

13. Stresses that any planning of dams should be evaluated according to five values: equity, efficiency, participatory decision-making, sustainability and accountability; underlines that the EU should work with developing countries to ensure that communities affected by dam projects are adequately compensated and provided with appropriate livelihood restoration measures;

Amendment 168 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)

13a. Is concerned about the fragility of facilities in the face of extreme weather events such as the recent floods in Libya that swept away entire neighbourhoods and damaged critical infrastructure; insists on the paramount objectives of SDG 9, which seeks to build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation;

Amendment 169 #

Ádám KÓSA, Lívia JÁRÓKA

Motion for a resolution
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; 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; considers that since nuclear energy also contributes, as a clean technology, to the successful decarbonisation of the energy system, the role of nuclear energy and other advanced technologies, such as small modular reactors, should be strengthened by establishing an enabling policy and regulatory framework, starting with the harmonisation of authorisation rules;

Amendment 17 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation – c (new)

– having regard to the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises,

Amendment 170 #

Motion for a resolution
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; r~~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; points out that this form of poverty could increase if certain traditional energy sources are phased out too quickly;

Amendment 171 #

Motion for a resolution
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; 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; recognises that natural gas has been endorsed as a transition fuel that can contribute to the decarbonisation of the EU economy and in this respect, stresses the importance of win-win partnerships with mutual benefits for exporting countries and their populations;

Amendment 172 #

Motion for a resolution
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; 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 on the necessity of prioritizing investment in sustainable renewable energy infrastructure in Africa and ensuring affordable and reliable access to renewable energy sources, particularly in rural and marginalized communities, through the establishment of decentralized energy systems and microgrid networks;

Amendment 173 #

Motion for a resolution
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; also notes, however, 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;

Amendment 174 #

Motion for a resolution
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 175 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15

Amendment 176 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15

15. ~~Denounces the double standards where~~Welcomes the increased pledges made by private and public financial institutions in developed countries ~~are increasingly making pledges~~ to reach carbon neutrality by 2050~~, while financing the development and expansion of fossil fuel~~; urges such financial institutions to reiterate more funding towards renewable energies rather than financing the development and expansion of fossil fuels, except if such funding aids in energy independence and energy transition projects;

Amendment 177 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15

15. Denounces the double standards whereby private and public financial institutions in developed countries are increasingly making pledges to reach carbon neutrality by 2050, while financing the development and expansion of fossil fuels; underlines that calls for low- and middle-income countries to reduce their dependence on coal will not be effective as long as developed countries continue to rely decisively on other fossil fuels;

Amendment 178 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15

15. D~~enounces the double standards whereby private and public financial institutions in developed countries are increasingly making pledges to reach carbon neu~~raws attention to the risk of increased fuel poverty if certain traldit~~y by 2050, while financing the development and expansion of fossil fuels~~ional energy sources are phased out too quickly;

Amendment 179 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)

15a. Recommends that a joint energy transition planning exercise be carried out within the framework of the EU-AU partnership, drawing on the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly and African civil societies, while respecting the sovereignty of African nations; calls for the objectives of decarbonising cities, mobility and industry, ensuring universal access to energy for local populations, generating renewable energy for export, developing energy transport, distribution and storage infrastructures, and improving the resilience of electricity networks to be combined; recommends that guidelines on the fair sharing of investments, revenues, technologies and skills be drawn up;

Amendment 18 #

Catherine CHABAUD, Barry ANDREWS, Charles GOERENS, Jan-Christoph OETJEN, Stéphane BIJOUX

Motion for a resolution
Citation – d (new)

– having regard to the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Business Conduct (RBC),

Amendment 180 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)

15a. Insists on the relevance of green energy in agroforestry and climate change adaptation projects such as the Great Green Wall, which promotes the integrated management of ecosystems and provides a solution to water access and food insecurity in the Sahelian strip by combating land degradation and desertification;

Amendment 181 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)

15a. Stresses the role renewable energy can play in efforts to end hunger and increase the adaptation and efficiency of agri-food systems so that they reduce drudgery, especially of women and girls, reduce its gas emissions and lessen the environment impact of the food sector; calls the EU and its Member States to make the use of renewables in the agri- food systems a priority in their partnership agreements with third countries including it as a binding rule;

Amendment 182 #

Motion for a resolution
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 183 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 b (new)

15b. Calls on the EU and its Member States to include education and training programs for the local population in their energy partnerships with third countries to support energy transition on the ground and change the production matrix of renewable energies to create working opportunities for the local communities moving out from a pure extractivist perspective;

Amendment 184 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 b (new)

15b. Stresses the importance of scientific cooperation in sharing the knowledge and skills needed to successfully carry out the energy transition; calls on the European Union to step up cooperation with developing countries on access to research and renewable energy technologies;

Amendment 185 #

Motion for a resolution
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 186 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 c (new)

15c. Notes the importance of promoting the presence of women in energy sector at all levels, calls the EU and its Member states to prioritise partnerships with energy organisations and business lead by women;

Amendment 187 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 d (new)

15d. Stresses the importance to gather disaggregated data by gender and ethnicity on access to energy to guide the European Union’s external action regarding energy;

Amendment 188 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)

15a. States that the green hydrogen industry can play a crucial role in the development of resource-rich developing countries, by providing economic growth, employment opportunities and infrastructure, if certain factors are met: mainly good governance, a sound legal framework along with its implementation and sufficient control, corruption prevention, functioning rule of law and transparency of financial flows;

Amendment 189 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 b (new)

15b. Emphasises that an enhanced collaboration between the EU's and partner countries' businesses and SMEs, combining the expertise of different like- minded partners, will create a pathway to sound entrepreneurship in the green hydrogen sector; stresses that partnership agreements should not only concentrate on the energy transition but also enable partner countries to achieve the entirety of SDGs and ensure that pursuing an export-oriented hydrogen economy does not negatively impact other aspects of the partner country’s development; highlights that such projects, if done properly, can support capacity building, skills development, knowledge-transfer and innovation required for local value chain development; recognises the partnerships for raw materials, as well as, the partnerships created due to the Africa- Europe Green Energy initiative and encourages further cooperation between Africa and EU at political, regional, bilateral and technical level; takes into account that the Memoranda for Understanding with partner countries are a critical milestone in encouraging sustainable green transition and showing EU global leadership while ensuring a comprehensive approach to supporting local economies through industrialisation, training and technological advancement; following such Memoranda for Understanding, urges the EU to deliver through operational roadmaps with concrete joint actions;

Amendment 19 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital A

A. whereas SDG 7 stipulates the aim to achieve sustainable access to affordable and clean energy by 203012, notably by calling for greater international cooperation to facilitate access to clean energy research and technology, including renewable energy, energy efficiency and advanced and cleaner fossil-fuel technology, and promote investment in energy infrastructure and clean energy technology; _________________ 12 UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, ‘The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2023: Special Edition – July 2023’, New York, USA, 2023.

Amendment 190 #

Mónica Silvana GONZÁLEZ, Carlos ZORRINHO, Robert HAJŠEL

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. Warns against the 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~~highlights the need to address global infrastructure, for the ~~long-distance transport costs,~~production, storage, transport, distribution and consumption of hydrogen; is concerned about the limited investments and financial capacities and the risks linked to weak institutions and corruption; highlights the potential of the Global Gateway initiative in regards to this; 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 populatio~~s as win-win partnerships with mutual benefits for importing and exporting countries and their populations, that allow to re-skill and train populations, provide quality and future- oriented jobs and support green industrialization, allowing developing countries to decarbonize hard-to-abate industrial activities and provide access to cleaner mobility and energy, retaining greater value in new clean value chains and making sustainable use of the established critical raw materials supply chains;

Amendment 191 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. Warns against the possible 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 infrastructure, the long-distance transport costs and climate impact, the limited investments and financial capacities and the risks linked to weak institutions and corruption in some developing countries; 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 population~~social and economic benefits are equal in exporting countries, with particular regard to energy access rate of the country and the access to clean water and its ecosystems;

Amendment 192 #

Catherine CHABAUD, Barry ANDREWS, Charles GOERENS, Jan-Christoph OETJEN, Stéphane BIJOUX

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. Warns against the 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 infrastructure, the long-distance transport costs, 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; stresses the crucial role of hydrogen as a tool to decarbonise the energy system and achieve the Paris Agreement goals; recalls the importance of life cycle assessments taking into account production and transport modes used;

Amendment 193 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. Warns against the 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 infrastructure, the long-distance transport costs, 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; underlines the importance of hydrogen projects in enabling partner countries to enhance their economic diversification and reduce excessive reliance on exports, thus leveraging the profits generated from these projects;

Amendment 194 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. Warns against the 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 infrastructure, the long-distance transport costs, 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~~points out, however, that in order to increase the use of alternative fuels, support is needed for developing countries to produce, store, distribute and use renewable and low- carbon hydrogen;

Amendment 195 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. AGreen hydrogen produced from renewable power and water is considered as one of the pivotal solutions to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 worldwide; acknowledges that the expansion of green hydrogen may also 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~~; stresses the ~~need~~importance to develop ~~a global resource~~good governance s~~ystem~~tandards that prioritises sustainability, efficiency and circularity, w~~ith a view to reducing global demand for virgin material~~hile also recognising the challenges in achieving these; reminds that the clean transition cannot occur without an ample, sustainable and secure supply of critical raw materials; 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 196 #

Catherine CHABAUD, Barry ANDREWS, Charles GOERENS, Jan-Christoph OETJEN, Stéphane BIJOUX

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. Acknowledges that the expansion of green hydrogen ~~also~~may 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; 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 197 #

Motion for a resolution
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; 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; emphasises the need for a systemic approach when assessing the local opportunities and consequences of green hydrogen production for European needs in developing countries;

Amendment 198 #

Motion for a resolution
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 199 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18

18. Notes, with concern, the risk of conflicting use of water ~~associated with mining~~ and the development of large-scale renewable energy plants, such as green hydrogen; reaffirms that access to water is a fundamental human right;

Amendment 2 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 1

– having regard to the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular SDG 1 on poverty eradication, SDG 7 on ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all, SDG 9 on industry and infrastructure, and SDG 13 on climate action and SDG 5 on gender equality,

Amendment 20 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital A

A. whereas the SDGs cannot be achieved without ensuring a minimum amount of energy for everyone as energy is an enabling element of development; whereas SDG 7 stipulates the aim to achieve sustainable access to affordable and clean energy by 203012 ; _________________ 12 UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, ‘The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2023: Special Edition – July 2023’, New York, USA, 2023.

Amendment 200 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18

18. Notes, with concern, the conflicting use of water associated with mining and the development of large-scale renewable energy plants, such as green hydrogen; reaffirms that access to water is a fundamental human right; underlines the necessity of enhancing water infrastructure in regions where mining and renewable energy plants are prominent by investing in water treatment facilities and water recycling systems;

Amendment 201 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. Stresses the need to regulate water as a resource for green hydrogen production in a sustainable way, including the implementation of regulations that mandate sustainable water sourcing techniques, efficient water usage, and the minimization of wastewater discharge, so that it does not jeopardise local populations’ access to water;

Amendment 202 #

Motion for a resolution
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 203 #

Catherine CHABAUD, Barry ANDREWS, Charles GOERENS, Jan-Christoph OETJEN, Stéphane BIJOUX

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20

20. Notes the proliferation of desalination plants to deal with water scarcity; points out that seawater desalination can have major environmental impacts, in particular on marine biodiversity; highlights that reducing water use and recycling or reusing treated wastewater is often less expensive than desalination, however notes that desalination of water technologies can also unlock a local market for salt and feed back into local communities creating jobs and uplifting local and national economies;

Amendment 204 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20

20. Notes the proliferation of desalination plants to deal with water scarcity; points out that seawater desalination can have major environmental impacts, in particular on marine biodiversity; calls for the promotion of a sustainable approach in water desalination and 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 205 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20

Amendment 206 #

Motion for a resolution
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 207 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21

21. Insists that green hydrogen strategies must follow strong social and sustainability standards~~; calls for the EU to establish appropriate monitoring framework~~ and should be competitive on global markets; calls for the EU to establish measurable targets in its partnership agreements that allow for assessing their broader impact on SDG performance; calls for ~~mandatory~~ environmental impact studies to be conducted, and be wary especially for biodiversity hotspots ~~to be exclud~~, which might be used as sites for green hydrogen facilities;

Amendment 208 #

Motion for a resolution
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 209 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22

22. Urges the Commission to set up an inclusive governance framework for partnership agreements that includes civil society organisations to ensure that the ‘no harm’ principle is respected, where appropriate, vis-à-vis local communities and that global human rights standards are met;

Amendment 21 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital A

A. whereas SDG 7 stipulates the aim to achieve sustainable access to affordable and clean energy by 203012 , which is key to the development of agriculture, business, communications, education, healthcare and transportation; _________________ 12 UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, ‘The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2023: Special Edition – July 2023’, New York, USA, 2023.

Amendment 210 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22

22. Urges the Commission to set up an inclusive governance framework for partnership agreements that meaningfully includes civil society organisations to ensure that the ‘no harm’ principle is respected vis-à-vis local communities and that global human rights standards are met; recalls the need of establishing robust monitoring and reporting mechanisms to track the progress of partnerships in meeting their obligations, while involving civil society organizations in the design and implementation of these mechanisms to ensure transparency and accountability;

Amendment 211 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)

22a. Stresses that investments in renewable hydrogen produced by third 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 (RBC);

Amendment 212 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23

23. Stresses that EU financing ~~for renewable energy should be in line with the principles of equity and climate justice~~should be in line with EU sustainability standards; urges for long-term, reliable and sustainable public and private investment for renewable energy projects that are all aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development;

Amendment 213 #

Motion for a resolution
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 214 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23

23. Stresses that EU financing for renewable energy should be in line with the principles of equity, sustainability and climate justice;

Amendment 215 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)

23a. Calls on the European Commission to use the next COP28 to boost international climate finance for clean energy and green infrastructure by achieving the 100bn climate finance goal and establishing new ambitious goals for 2025 onwards, to swiftly implement its pledge to invest 4bn in renewable energy and hydrogen projects through the Global Gateway, and develop innovative solutions, in cooperation with International Financial Institutions and Multilateral Development Banks, to de- risk investments; stresses the importance of innovative blended finance that should focus on de-risking near-commercial deployment and can ensure that the funded projects meet environmental imperatives;

Amendment 216 #

Motion for a resolution
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 217 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24

24. Calls for the EU and its Member States to increase the amount of official development assistance it devotes to the energy sector, particularly in Africa, ~~prioritising grants over loans and~~ reorienting financing towards countries with lower rates of access to electricity to support their clean energy transitions and to develop programmes for facilitating the transfer of knowledge and green technologies;

Amendment 218 #

Catherine CHABAUD, Barry ANDREWS, Charles GOERENS, Jan-Christoph OETJEN, Stéphane BIJOUX

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24

24. Calls for the EU and its Member States to ~~increase the amount of official development assistance it devotes to the energy sector, particularly in Africa, prioritising grants over loans and reorient~~step up their development cooperation efforts in the energy sector, particularly in Africa, subject to ceilings agreed within the framework of the NDICI-Global Europe and making use of all spending modalities such as grants, loans and technical assistance, while scaling up funding through leveraging EU’s budget and other private investment possibilities as well as encouraging financing towards countries with lower rates of access to electricity to support their clean energy transitions and to develop programmes for facilitating the transfer of knowledge and green technologies; stresses that Europe can offer innovative solutions to speed up the green transition and increase the global share of renewables;

Amendment 219 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24

24. Calls for the EU and its Member States to increase the amount of official development assistance it devotes to the energy sector, particularly in Africa, prioritising grants over loans and reorienting financing towards countries with lower rates of access to electricity to support their clean energy transitions and to develop public-private partnerships, as well as programmes for facilitating the transfer of knowledge and green technologies;

Amendment 22 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital A

A. whereas SDG 7 stipulates the aim to achieve sustainable access to affordable and clean energy by 2030~~12 ; _________________ 12 UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, ‘The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2023: Special Edition – July 2023’, New York, USA, 2023.~~; whereas recent progress is not on track and more efforts are needed to achieve universal access by 2030;

Amendment 220 #

24. Calls for the EU and its Member States to increase the amount of official development assistance it devotes to the energy sector in frame of the mid-term review of the multiannual financial framework 2021-2027, especially under Heading 6 to address the challenges of developing countries in access to energy and clean cooking and support them in the fulfilment of their commitment to SDG 7, particularly in Africa, prioritising grants over loans and reorienting financing towards countries with lower rates of access to electricity to support their clean energy transitions and to develop programmes for facilitating the transfer of knowledge and green technologies; calls the EU and its Member States to consider debt-for-climate action swap so that debtor developing countries can use the owed money to finance climate change adaptation and mitigation projects;

Amendment 221 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)

24a. Stresses that access to financing for a just energy transition must be simplified and accelerated for developing countries; insists on considering solutions such as the operationalization of a long- term Debt-For-Climate Swap Mechanism within the framework of the G20 Debt Service Suspension Initiative and the rechannelling of IMF Special Drawing Rights;

Amendment 222 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)

24a. Calls the EU and Member States to increase the funding to help developing countries to adapt to climate change and climate adaptation, making energy systems more resilient against climate risks;

Amendment 223 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 b (new)

24b. Urges the Commission to increase the programmes under the Global Gateway initiative that prioritise basic access to electricity and to clean cooking, especially in the countries most in need; stresses the importance of the private sector to scale up the funding for basic access to energy and clean cooking while guaranteeing public access and reinforcing national public energy suppliers; calls the Commission to use the European Fund for Sustainable Development Plus (EFSD+) as an instrument to support investments of the private sector in developing countries to strengthen the energy infrastructure and provide a better access to energy and clean cooking;

Amendment 224 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25

25. Urges the EU to support developing countries in gradually phasing out fossil fuel subsidies and to focus on efficient, modern and affordable cooking technologies; urges the mobilisation of investments and creating enabling environments to drive growth of a robust clean cooking industry;

Amendment 225 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 – point a

a) direct more investments into the distribution segment, in particular rural electrification, and to prioritise decentralised, small-scale and off-grid renewable energy systems, when such solutions are more adequate than grid extension for enabling access of rural populations to electricity, taking into account the challenges faced by this sector;

Amendment 226 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 – point a a (new)

aa) coordinate investments among different institutions to maximize impact and avoid duplication of efforts;

Amendment 227 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 – point b

b) ensure that ~~human rights impact~~ assessments are carried out and that all required governance, human rights, social and environmental safeguards and remedies are duly implemented and monitored, ~~including the human rights and land tenure guidelines;~~

Amendment 228 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 – point b

b) ensure that independent and unbiased human rights impact assessments are carried out and that all required social and environmental safeguards and remedies are duly implemented and monitored, including the human rights and land tenure guidelines;

Amendment 229 #

Catherine CHABAUD, Barry ANDREWS, Charles GOERENS, Jan-Christoph OETJEN, Stéphane BIJOUX

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 – point b a (new)

ba) ensure that local communities are included and properly informed throughout the entire project planning and delivering phases;

Amendment 23 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital A

A. whereas, while energy is at the heart of all SDGs, SDG 7 stipulates the aim to achieve sustainable access to affordable and clean energy by 203012 ; _________________ 12 UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, ‘The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2023: Special Edition – July 2023’, New York, USA, 2023.

Amendment 230 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 – point c

c) ~~implement and strictly apply the rights-based approach providing effective complaint and redress mechanisms, notably in projects under the Global Gateway initiative~~ensure compliance with responsible business practices;

Amendment 231 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 – point c

(c) implement and strictly apply the rights-based approach providing effective complaint and redress mechanisms, notably in projects under the Global Gateway initiative, and requiring full impact studies for each project, particularly on climate change, inequalities and the displacement of local populations;

Amendment 232 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 – point d a (new)

da) offer technical support and capacity-building initiatives to empower developing countries in implementing clean energy projects effectively;

Amendment 233 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 – point d a (new)

da. support local and regional electricity interconnection projects;

Amendment 234 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 a (new)

26a. Invites the Commission to provide disaggregated data on the amount of investments in energy access in order to track how much is allocated to SDG7; as well as to provide data on the Key performance indicator “Renewable energy generation capacity installed (MW) with Union support” identified in the NDICI-GE;

Amendment 235 #

Motion for a resolution
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)

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;

Amendment 237 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27

27. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission ~~and~~, the European External Action Service and the European Investment Bank.

Amendment 24 #

Motion for a resolution
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 ; whereas the access is even lower in rural areas; whereas even in the regions that have better access to energy as Asia and the Pacific or Latin America and the Caribbean there is big inequalities between countries and among its populations in access to energy; _________________ 13 The International Renewable Energy Agency, ‘Basic Energy Access Lags Amid Renewable Opportunities New Report Shows’, 6 June 2023.

Amendment 25 #

Motion for a resolution
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 ; whereas the access deficit in this region remains almost the same as it was in 2010; _________________ 13 The International Renewable Energy Agency, ‘Basic Energy Access Lags Amid Renewable Opportunities New Report Shows’, 6 June 2023.

Amendment 26 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)

Ba. whereas more than half of the population in sub-Saharan Africa does not have reliable access to electricity; whereas this figure masks major disparities, with less than 20 % of the population having access in some rural areas14 a; _________________ 14 a https://www.tresor.economie.gouv.fr/Artic les/2023/07/06/a-la-une-d-objectif- afrique-l-acces-a-l-energie-en-afrique- subsaharienne#

Amendment 27 #

Motion for a resolution
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 28 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)

Ba. whereas without additional measures 565 million people will still be without access to electricity and around one billion to clean cooking by 2030, concentrated in low and middle income countries;

Amendment 29 #

Catherine CHABAUD, Barry ANDREWS, Charles GOERENS, Jan-Christoph OETJEN, Stéphane BIJOUX

Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)

Ba. whereas according to current projections, 660 million people worldwide will have no access to electricity in 2030 unless we take appropriate action;

Amendment 3 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 7 a (new)

– having regard to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change special report of 24 September 2019 on the ocean and cryosphere in a changing climate,

Amendment 30 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital B b (new)

Bb. whereas the energy crisis triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues to take a heavy toll on people around the world, with high energy prices hitting the most vulnerable social groups the hardest, in particular in developing economies;

Amendment 31 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital B b (new)

Bb. whereas overlapping crises, like Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its consequences on the prices of energy and other commodities are affecting the energy systems of many developing countries, being the least developed countries the most affected; whereas this is a call for the European Union to increase the finacing of renewable energies;

Amendment 32 #

Motion for a resolution
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 33 #

Motion for a resolution
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 34 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital B c (new)

Bc. whereas access to affordable, reliable, clean, high-quality energy is even more difficult in countries affected by conflict, natural disasters;

Amendment 35 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital B d (new)

Bd. whereas access to energy is essential for humanitarian and development organisations to deliver efficient humanitarian aid, especially medical and emergency care;

Amendment 36 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital B c (new)

Bc. whereas stable energy supply is essential for the functioning of the economy and all areas of state activity, and the continued growth of the world's population requires increased energy production;

Amendment 37 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital C

Amendment 38 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital C

C. whereas energy poverty, defined as the lack of sustainable, clean and safe energy sources, is a gender issue, with women and girls spending, on average, up to 18 hours a day collecting cooking fuels14 ; whereas engaging women as active agents in renewable energy solutions will improve sustainability and positive gender outcomes; whereas the EU’s Gender Action Plan III makes obligatory the mainstreaming of gender perspective in all policies and actions; whereas the EU has made a commitment that at least 85% of all new external actions will contribute to gender equality and women’s empowerment by 2025; _________________ 14 UN Development Programme, ‘Energy and Gender Equality’.

Amendment 39 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)

Ca. whereas globally women are strongly underrepresented in the energy sector workforce, especially in management roles;

Amendment 4 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 14

– having regard to the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Kyoto Protocol thereto, to the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21) to the UNFCCC in Paris, in December 2015, ~~and~~ to the adoption of the Paris Agreement, the first- ever universal, legally binding global climate deal, and to the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report on Climate Change,

Amendment 40 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)

Ca. whereas in the sub-Saharan region only 47% of schools have electricity; whereas access to electricity supports quality education by allowing the use of electronic teaching aids in classrooms, whereas education is recognised as one of the most essential components of poverty reduction;

Amendment 41 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital C b (new)

Cb. whereas low access to energy makes it difficult for countries to attract businesses and entrepreneurship and whereas it impacts negatively national, regional and local economies;

Amendment 42 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)

Ca. whereas the lack of any access or sufficient access to electricity is a factor that contributes to migration flows, including irregular migration flows;

Amendment 43 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital C b (new)

Cb. whereas energy poverty is another factor that can lead to migration; whereas better access to affordable and clean energy will unlock sustainable economic growth and will improve human health and well-being, will raise human security and will help build resilience against poverty-driven migration;

Amendment 44 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)

Ca. whereas it is essential to strengthen diplomacy efforts to foster more ambitious political will in order to effectively address and end energy poverty;

Amendment 45 #

Motion for a resolution
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 EU funding for clean cooking fuels is marginal; whereas even when clean cooking strategies exist, there is weak implementation and little finance so that even modest gains are hard to obtain;

Amendment 46 #

Motion for a resolution
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 47 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital D

D. whereas traditional cooking fuels (solid biomass, kerosene and coal) are the main contributors to carbon emissions, deforestation and climate damage and represent a threat to people’s health causing around 3.7 million premature deaths a year with women and children being the most affected; whereas EU funding for clean cooking fuels is marginal;

Amendment 48 #

Catherine CHABAUD, Barry ANDREWS, Charles GOERENS, Jan-Christoph OETJEN, Stéphane BIJOUX

Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)

Da. whereas it is calculated that 2.3 billion people worldwide lack access to clean cooking, whereas the COVID-19 pandemic and the increase in energy prices have slowed the progress in access to clean cooking, whereas less than 10% of people who lack access to clean cooking live in countries that have effective policies and sufficient funding to reach universal access by 2030;

Amendment 49 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)

Da. whereas in developing countries that heavily rely on biomass for cooking food, the EU should support alternative solutions to the consumption of wood, and in particular mangroves, and promote, for instance, the use of solar cookers;

Amendment 5 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation – b (new)

– having regard to the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights,

Amendment 50 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital D b (new)

Db. whereas lack of access to clean cooking increases the time women and girls spend cooking, whereas this reinforces the unequal share of domestic work between men and women, whereas it is calculated that access to clean cooking would give women and girls an average of 1.5 more hours per day they could dedicate to leisure and/or education;

Amendment 51 #

Motion for a resolution
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; whereas, countries such as Namibia and Angola are involved in ambitious projects related to renewable energy; whereas some developing countries have made notable progress in the field of energy access, such as Senegal, Rwanda and Kenya, thus, with political will and EU support it is possible to achieve breakthroughs; whereas different contexts in each country need to be taken into account;

Amendment 52 #

Motion for a resolution
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 53 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital E

E. whereas developing countries have an abundance of renewable energy sources, but often lack an enabling policy and regulatory framework ~~for~~and industrial and technological ecosystems conducive to the sustainable ~~energy~~ development ~~and use~~, production and use of such energy sources;

Amendment 54 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital E

E. whereas developing countries, especially the ones considered as least developed, have an abundance of renewable energy sources, but often lack an enabling policy and regulatory framework for sustainable energy development and use;

Amendment 55 #

Motion for a resolution
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;~~(Does not affect the English version.)

Amendment 56 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)

Ea. whereas the usage of natural resources for energy generation has elevated millions of people out of poverty while many countries have chosen the path of phasing out fossil fuels and replacing them by renewable natural resources;

Amendment 57 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital F

F. whereas the EU has a long tradition of energy cooperation in Africa and, 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;

Amendment 58 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital F

Amendment 59 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital F

F. 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 more than half of low- income countries are in debt distress or at high risk of getting there, according to the IMF;

Amendment 6 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation – a (new)

– having regard to the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights,

Amendment 60 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital F

F. 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 and therefore debt for beneficiaries, thus reducing their ability to invest in the SDGs, including SDG 7, in future;

Amendment 61 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital F

F. 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 this is still not enough and more efforts need to be made to attain by 2030 universal access to affordable, reliable, clean, high-quality energy;

Amendment 62 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)

Fa. whereas in terms of geographical targeting, Morocco (EUR 2.5 billion) and South Africa (EUR 1.2 billion) were the first to be granted funding, and only three least developed countries were among the top 10 first beneficiaries of funding; whereas, priority has thus not been given to directing resources towards access and the fight against energy poverty;

Amendment 63 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)

Fa. whereas financial flows for energy remain concentrated in a small group of countries often leaving least developed countries behind;

Amendment 64 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital G

G. whereas the energy transition is severely and persistently underfunded in developing regions, in particular in the least developed countries; whereas many developing countries keep relying excessively on exports of fossil fuels, which leads to a lack of economic diversification, degradation of rule of law standards, increased poverty rates, violation of labour rights, land grabbing and environmental damage;

Amendment 65 #

Catherine CHABAUD, Barry ANDREWS, Charles GOERENS, Jan-Christoph OETJEN, Stéphane BIJOUX

Motion for a resolution
Recital G a (new)

Ga. whereas corruption and the weakness of institutions are exacerbating the underfinancing of the energy transition, particularly in the least developed countries;

Amendment 66 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital G a (new)

Ga. whereas the energy autonomy of Small Island Developing States (SIDS), building upon their high renewable energy potential, should remain a clear objective;

Amendment 67 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital G a (new)

Ga. whereas the Gender Action Plan III stipulates that 85 % of all new actions throughout external relations should contribute to gender equality and women's empowerment by 2025 and this should be taken into account when designing and implementing energy programmes in partner countries;

Amendment 68 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital H

Amendment 69 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital H a (new)

Ha. 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;

Amendment 7 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation – a (new)

– having regard to the African leaders Nairobi Declaration on climate change 2023,

Amendment 70 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital H a (new)

Ha. whereas the countries most affected by the negative consequences of climate change bear the least responsibility for emissions, whereas Africa accounts for less than 4% of the world’s energy-related CO₂ emissions;

Amendment 71 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital H a (new)

Ha. whereas the countries that make up the G20 account for 80% of global emissions;

Amendment 72 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital I

I. whereas the Africa-EU Energy Partnership was renewed in February 2022 with explicit objectives to promote renewable energy generation; whereas an investment package of approximately EUR 150 billion was announced to support the continents’ common ambitions of the 2030 Agenda and the African Union Agenda 2063, including harnessing all African energy resources to ensure modern, efficient, reliable, cost- effective, renewable and environmentally friendly energy to all African households, businesses, industries and institutions;

Amendment 73 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital I

I. whereas the Africa-EU Energy Partnership was renewed in February 2022 ~~with explicit~~to 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 74 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital I

I. whereas the Africa-EU Energy Partnership was renewed in February 2022 with explicit objectives to promote renewable energy generation and distribution;

Amendment 75 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital I

I. whereas the Africa-EU Energy Partnership was renewed in February 2022 with explicit objectives to promote renewable energy generation; whereas REPowerEU sets targets for the annual import of 10 Mt of Green Hydrogen by 2030, and half of this is required to be sourced from outside of Europe;

Amendment 76 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital I a (new)

Ia. whereas REPowerEU set a target to import 10 Mt of green hydrogen annually by 2030; whereas to this effect, the European Commission signed inter alia a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for strategic renewable hydrogen partnerships with Namibia and Egypt in November 2022;

Amendment 77 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital I a (new)

Ia. whereas the ‘Just energy transition partnership of EU with South Africa’ is an example of the EU’s willingness to contribute in positioning itself as a global leader in the just energy transition, thus contributing to the external dimension of the EU energy and climate strategy and promoting the ambition of the European Green Deal globally;

Amendment 78 #

Motion for a resolution
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 79 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital I a (new)

Ia. whereas what is labelled as low carbon hydrogen may also include power generated by nuclear power and natural gas, consequently not necessarily meaning it is emissions-free; whereas green hydrogen from renewable sources is the only type of hydrogen that can truly contribute to climate neutrality in the long term;

Amendment 8 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation – b (new)

– having regard to the African People’s Climate and Development Declaration 2023,

Amendment 80 #

Motion for a resolution
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 81 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital J

J. whereas green hydrogen has the potential to accelerate the path to decarbonisation of industrial production, provided that it is part of a broader strategy to reduce the overall consumption ~~of energy~~and addresses the significant costs of hydrogen transport resulting from the lack of necessary infrastructure;

Amendment 82 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital J

J. whereas green hydrogen has the potential to accelerate the path to decarbonisation, provided that does not slow down local energy transition and it is part of a broader strategy to reduce the overall consumption of energy;

Amendment 83 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital J

J. whereas green hydrogen has the potential to accelerate the path to decarbonisation~~, provided that it is part of a broader strategy to reduce the overall consumption of ener~~ and to contribute to green industrialisation of partner countries, provided that it is part of a broader energy transition strategy;

Amendment 84 #

Motion for a resolution
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 85 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital J a (new)

Ja. whereas 2030 and 2050 climate objectives will not be achieved without decarbonisation of key hard-to-abate sectors, and without imports of green hydrogen from third countries;

Amendment 86 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital J a (new)

Ja. whereas critical raw materials play a pivotal role in ensuring the accessibility and affordability of clean energy technologies for all, but the EU should establish a coherent framework to ensure their continuous, secure, and responsible supply, while upholding human rights and supporting local development, in accordance with the principles outlined in the Critical Raw Materials Act;

Amendment 87 #

Motion for a resolution
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 88 #

K. whereas decentralised mini-grid and off-grid renewable energy offer good solutions for remote communities, but need to be accompanied by public support to create a viable and responsible business model;

Amendment 89 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital K

K. whereas decentralised mini-grid and off-grid public renewable energy offer good solutions for remote communities, but need to be accompanied by public support to create a viable business model;

Amendment 9 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation – a (new)

– having regard to the proposal from the Commission for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a framework for ensuring a secure and sustainable supply of critical raw materials and amending Regulations (EU) 168/2013, (EU) 2018/858, 2018/1724 and (EU) 2019/1020,

Amendment 90 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital L

L. whereas the expansion of renewables based on solar and wind power also raises ~~challenges as they~~energy independence; whereas such projects need to take into account the local populations; whereas such projects require large areas of land, thus, possibly interfering with existing land use and local needs, in particular regarding access to water;

Amendment 91 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital L

L. whereas the expansion of renewables based on solar ~~and wind power~~, wind and the production of renewable hydrogen, as well as the construction of hydroelectric dams, also raises challenges as they require large areas of land, thus 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 of natural habitats harming ecosystems;

Amendment 92 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital L

L. whereas the expansion of renewables based on solar and wind power also raises challenges as they require large areas of land, thus interfering with existing land use and local needs, in particular regarding access to water; whereas land and sea areas that could be used for renewable energy production need to be identified, taking into account connection conditions and with respect for biodiversity, the local economy and the consent of indigenous populations;

Amendment 93 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital L a (new)

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;

Amendment 94 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital L a (new)

La. whereas Africa has a promising future for renewable energy systems, having 60% of the best solar resources globally yet only 1% installed solar capacity ; whereas Latin America is one of the world’s leading regions for renewable energy use and production;

Amendment 95 #

Catherine CHABAUD, Barry ANDREWS, Charles GOERENS, Stéphane BIJOUX

Motion for a resolution
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 96 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital M

Amendment 97 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital M

Amendment 98 #

Motion for a resolution
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)

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;

source: 754.807

2023/12/04 DEVE 37 amendments...

Amendment 1 #

Motion for a resolution
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 10 #

Motion for a resolution
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

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

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

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

1. Recalls that access to ~~energy is a basic human right~~universal, 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)

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

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

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

4. Is worried about the health and environmental consequences of household fuelwood emissions, such as respiratory ~~diseases, forest degradation and biodiversity loss~~and 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

5. ~~Urges the EU to incorporate access to clean cooking as a priority within its energy partnerships with developing countrie~~Points 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 2 #

Motion for a resolution
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 20 #

Motion for a resolution
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

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

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)

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

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 grievance~~responsible 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

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

12. ~~Is worried about~~Acknowledges 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
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

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

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 3 #

Motion for a resolution
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 ~~day~~week 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 30 #

Motion for a resolution
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

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 infrastructure~~states 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
Paragraph 17

17. Acknowledges that the expansion of green hydrogen ~~also~~can 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 to~~importance 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
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

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

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 technologies~~in 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)

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

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, ~~notably~~in 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 4 #

Motion for a resolution
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 marginal~~2.4 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

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~~and 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

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~~this 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
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
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 #