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BARBARA LINO

Territorial dissimilarities in energy and climate change

  • Autori: Bonsinetto, F; Cannizzaro, A; Falco, E; Lino, B; Modica, G
  • Anno di pubblicazione: 2013
  • Tipologia: Capitolo o Saggio (Capitolo o saggio)
  • OA Link: http://hdl.handle.net/10447/102299

Abstract

This paper examines regional differences between EU Member States on climate change, green economy and energy in the context of the Europe 2020 strategy, based on current work undertaken for the ESPON SIESTA project . The strategy is a new key policy based on smart, sustainable and inclusive growth to help EU-27 facing global economic crisis and meeting the new environmental challenges such as energy efficiency, climate change, energy security and green economy. Drawing on the key findings and policy recommendations pointed out in the section “Sustainable growth” of the SIESTA project, this paper presents empirical data demonstrating the regional variations across Europe on a range of selected indicators and highlighting regions suffering weaknesses or challenges in relation to environmental goals. More specifically, the paper first analyzes the meaning and the geographical patterns of some significant maps based on different indicators quoted directly or indirectly in the document “Europe 2020” and in the flagship initiative “Resource efficient in Europe”. The aim of geographical analysis is to explain how regions and cities are far or near the EU2020S targets as well as the geographical patterns of existing problems or key strengths and potentials. This is explored through an explanation of maps that regard themes that have assumed great significance in the last decade such as climate change, global warming, environment conservation, green economy, energy efficiency. They are environmental issues with strong “economic value” because it’s increasingly clear the importance of the linkage between ecological and economic dimensions (as well as social) in the growing discussion in light of the environmental global crisis. The majority of the maps took into account regard the achievement of one of the five headline targets that have been agreed for the European countries to measure progress in meeting the Europe 2020 goals. The other maps are related to the indicators that serve to identify the new challenges of the green economy as industries with high energy spending, commuting, municipal waste collection, waste water treatment. After having analyzed the geographical patterns expressed by the maps, the paper will offer a “picture” of the current situation in Europe as well as some useful guidelines and policy recommendations for the European regional decision-makers.