Connecting security with sustainable development in the Eastern Mediterranean and generating pay-offs for the European Union

ABSTRACT

The rise of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) in the European Union (EU) energy security breaks new ground, particularly after the 2022 war between Russia and Ukraine. With solar and wind power being the two dominant forms, and electricity interconnections throughout Europe to have come under the spotlight, the unregulated Eastern Mediterranean region is vital. It exhibits the biggest RES potential throughout Europe and hosts projects of European concern, such as the EuroAfrica and EuroAsia interconnectors. This profile builds on earlier work to contribute to two dimensions: a) theoretically, by showing that soft legalization does not only guarantee security in unregulated environments but can also be expanded to the development of RES and b) empirically, by elaborating on late advancements on RES in the region, with pay-offs for the EU energy security and sustainable development. All these at a time when traditional partners and critical energy commodities come into question.

KEYWORDS:

• EU
• sustainable development
• renewable energy sources
• Eastern Mediterranean
• soft legalization

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. In 2020, it was the first time that the RES overtook fossil fuels as the EU main source of electricity. The amount of electricity generated from solar and wind turbines is 15.5 times and 2.9 times as high as it had been a decade ago (Eurostat 2020, 38). Indicatively, in 2020, Denmark generated 61 per cent of its electricity from wind and solar power, Ireland 35 per cent and Germany 33 per cent.

2. For a detailed account on all developments and agreements, see (Sotiriou, 2020).

3. See: https://climate.ec.europa.eu/eu-action/european-climate-law_en#:~:text=The%20Climate%20Law%20includes%3A,of%20emission%20reductions%20and%20removals

4. See: https://energy.ec.europa.eu/topics/renewable-energy/renewable-energy-directive-targets-and-rules/renewable-energy-directive_en

5. Taking a deeper look, the Euro-Mediterranean partnership has first been established in 1995, following the Barcelona Declaration. Upon that, the Union for the Mediterranean has also been launched in 2008, comprised by the 27 EU member-states along with 16 Mediterranean countries, and addressing the strategic objectives of regional stability, human development, and regional economic development. Both formations lay within the context of the European Neighbourhood Policy, whereas in February 2019, the first-ever summit between the EU and the Arab League has further propelled both parties to strategically engage in areas of common interest.

6. See: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_21_426

7. Both projects are critical, and as such have been included in the first EU list of key infrastructure projects known as ‘Projects of Common Interest (PCI)’ in 2013, and have retained their position ever since (EUR-Lex, 2021, pp. 5–6).

8. See: https://commission.europa.eu/news/eu-invests-over-eu-1-billion-energy-infrastructure-support-green-deal-2022–01-26_en.

9. Turkey’s grid has been interconnected with CESA via one line to Greece and two lines to Bulgaria. The EuroAfrica and the EuroAsia interconnectors are two stand-alone projects that will, nevertheless, have the capacity to get connected with the CESA.