European energy commissioner Andris Piebalgs has met with Sir Nicholas Stern, head of the UK government's economics service, and one of the top world specialists on the economics of climate change, with a view to preparing the strategic EU energy review.
Mr Piebalgs and the author of the ‘Stern report’ discussed the contribution of the European energy policy in the fight against climate change in view of the preparation of the European strategic energy review that the Commission will adopt early next year.
The Stern review, which was published in October, underlines the fact that climate change is a critical problem that has to be addressed urgently at a global level for economic as well as environmental reasons.
The dialogue between Mr Piebalgs and Sir Stern is part of the consultations that the Commission is undertaking for the preparation of the first strategic EU energy review, as requested by the European Council on March 24, 2006. This document will be the basis for the development of the new European energy policy, and will propose medium- and long-term goals for the development of clean and renewable energy sources in the EU.