Press Release 06 February 2008

 

EUROPE’S VULNERABILITY
TO ENERGY CRISES

• WEC creates 1st comprehensive Vulnerability Indicator
• Europe’s Vulnerability doubled since the 1960s
• WEC calls for stringent EU-strategy to overcome these risks

As its own scarce primary energy resources are becoming exhausted, Europe’s dependency on imported energy and hence its vulnerability to energy crises is rapidly increasing. How can European countries ensure secure energy supplies at stable and competitive prices?

The World Energy Council (WEC) European Study on “Europe’s Vulnerability to Energy Crises”, presented today in Brussels by Dr. Johannes Teyssen, COO of E.ON and Vice Chair of WEC Europe, examines a range of risks that can lead to energy crises and recommends risk mitigation strategies to policy-makers and market-players. The Study Group representing nearly all EU member states has identified a set of
vulnerability indicators which can help assess specific risks and threats in a uniform and structured manner thus ensuring that each individual country and the region as a whole develop coherent and comprehensive strategies based on their specific circumstances. For this purpose WEC representatives in Europe have composed for the first time a comprehensive WEC-Vulnerability-Indicator as a policy-tool.

WEC calls for enhancing the level of policy cooperation in Europe, more pragmatism in policy implementation and further diversification of energy mix in each country. Support for more consistent and targeted research and development would help accelerate the search for new energy solutions. Enhancing public understanding of energy issues based on facts could ensure the necessary public awareness about the challenges facing the energy sector. It would be beneficial for the European countries to assess their own vulnerability levels using the indicators developed in the study.

Dr. Johannes Teyssen, COO of E.ON and Vice Chair of WEC Europe said:
"We in WEC hope that the results of this important study will be a wake-up call. I would like to stress the point that politicians across Europe should note the fact that Europe becomes increasingly vulnerable for an energy crisis in the last years. Therefore we call for more openness towards all technologies such as renewables, nuclear and coal with a CCSoption that can make Europe less dependant on energy imports."

The main conclusion of the study is the need for Europe to have a common energy policy, enhancing trade and co-operation between the member

WEC Media contact:
Mathias Hocke: hocke@worldenergy.org
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7734 5996
Stephan Albrechtskirchinger: albrechtskirchinger@worldenergy.org
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7734 5996

The executive summary and full report are available for download on this website.