EUROPE’S ENERGY SECURITY AND THE CONCLUSIONS OF THE UN CLIMATE CHANGE CONFERENCES: BETWEEN DESIRE AND POSSIBILITIES

Abstract

The energy transition is one of the most important strategic objectives of the European Union. Its implementation, primarily through the European Green Deal, not only strengthens energy security but also leads to the transformation of the entire economic system of the European Union. Focused on 2050, by which time it aims at completing this process and achieving climate neutrality, the EU seems to be paying less and less attention to the real problems and shortcomings that make the aforementioned strategy increasingly questionable. This paper draws attention to the real problems that exist in the implementation of the energy transition, as well as to the shortcomings that could cause European countries to face major consequences in the coming period. The first part of the paper is dedicated to explaining the European Green Deal and the intentions of the EU, as well as the doubts that exist regarding its implementation on the domestic level. The second part describes the EU’s initiatives within the framework of the Paris Agreement and the US’s withdrawal from this international platform, while the third provides an overview of the work of the UN Climate Conferences and the competing strategies of different actors. The fourth chapter contains concluding remarks.