On 27 March, ALDE Party gathered leading environmental lawmakers and industry experts in Brussels to discuss how Europe can lead the clean energy transition while staying globally competitive.
Moderated by Renew Europe Vice-President João Cotrim de Figueiredo MEP (Iniciativa Liberal, PT) the debate reinforced the need for bold yet practical policies to ensure that clean growth becomes Europe's competitive advantage.
“Europe must focus on honest and pragmatic clean energy solutions that provide a competitive advantage. We need a flexible, interconnected energy system, whether electricity or hydrogen, while addressing market volatility,” said ALDE Party Vice-President Yoko Alender (Reformierakond, EE), Chair of the Estonian Parliament’s Environment Committee.
“The climate transition must be self-sustaining and today’s regulations aren’t enough. In Sweden, companies are profiting from going green, showing that sustainability and business success go hand in hand. When it comes to energy security, we must explore all viable alternatives,” said Romina Pourmokhtari (Liberalerna, SE), Minister of Environment and Climate of Sweden.
“We assumed that the market would naturally drive the green transition, but it didn’t. Europe needs smarter industrial policies, rather than relying on state aid, which encourages richer nations to compete against poorer ones. We must adopt fair, effective policies that strengthen EU-wide cooperation,” said Krzysztof Bolesta, Secretary of State for Climate and Environment of Poland.
“The EU’s Green Deal has driven up hydrogen costs. To succeed, we must embrace technology diversity rather than fixating on specific solutions. Europe has a unique opportunity, we can attract top global talent in green energy and develop our own sustainable resources, reducing our dependence on imported fossil fuels,” concluded Jorgo Chatzimarkakis, CEO of Hydrogen Europe.
Participants agreed that the way forward is a flexible and technology-neutral approach, stronger industrial strategy, and policies that enable businesses to thrive in a green economy to ensure the clean transition is sustainable and not just a temporary fix.
Click here for all the pictures from the event.