The COVID-19 pandemic and the EU: From a sustainable energy transition to a green transition?

• Published in: Energy policy Vol. 175; p. 113453
• Main Authors: Crnčec, Danijel, Penca, Jerneja, Lovec, Marko
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.04.2023
• Subjects: COVID-19 recovery; do no significant harm; EU biodiversity Policy; EU energy Policy; European green deal; Green transition; EU energy Policy; Green transition; do no significant harm; COVID-19 recovery; EU biodiversity Policy; European green deal
• ISSN: 0301-4215; 1873-6777
• DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2023.113453

The article examines the implications held by the EU's response to the COVID-19 pandemic for the green transition as set by the European Green Deal. It distinguishes changes in: (a) the use of policy instruments; (b) governance principles; and (c) the prioritising of policy goals as expressed via the conceptual framework of orders of change. The article assesses the extent of these changes as well as the patterns and regional variations among EU Member States, together with the Commission's role in pushing for preferential energy policy choices and encouraging the Member States' ambitions. The analysis shows the EU Energy Union governance framework was promoting the EU's climate targets' full integration into the EU's energy transition policy instruments (first order of change) even before the European Green Deal. Still, the EU's response to the COVID-19 crisis created strong financial and policy leverage to accelerate the green transition and gave an opportunity to close the gap between less ambitious and more ambitious EU countries. Many countries traditionally reliant on EU funds seized this opportunity, demonstrating the role of changed governance principles (the second order of change). However, the crisis has had an evolutionary impact, not a revolutionary one. While coherence between the energy and climate goals remains high, the EU's energy transition is falling short in fully integrating biodiversity (which would constitute a full paradigmatic, third-order change), despite this being an essential component of the EU's green transition. [Display omitted] •The EU's response to COVID-19 crisis was designed to spur the EU green transition.•The Commission plays a role in strengthening the Member States' ambitions.•Member States' energy policy choices are converging, yet remain path-dependent.•The response also gave an opportunity to close the gap between EU Member States.•Closer integration of biodiversity remains a challenge for the EU green transition.