What's the EU's climate plan?
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How is climate change affecting Europe, and why is climate denial still a problem?
The summer just gone brought the reality of climate change home to Europe more than ever before. Lethal temperatures, droughts disrupting normal life, wildfires destroying landscapes. So what can be done to turn the tide or at least to reduce the effects of climate breakdown? Wupka Huxra, EU Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero and Clean Growth, you're very welcome to our studio. Thank you, sir. Uh I don't think that's an exaggerated picture of of uh of the summer we've we've had, and yet you still find people saying it's just good weather. I'm sure they're texting into the show at the moment. Does it ever frustrate you that people are denying the evidence that's right in front of them?
No, it is indeed uh truly problematic. Uh to just you know either dismiss uh the problem at large or uh think that that man uh humanity isn't playing a role in it. Uh this it is the science is crystal clear. The planet is warming up um well maybe not like never before, but certainly like never before since we are here. Um its effects are devastating and this is not just about let's say The ecosystem is something that vaguely relates to us. This is a reality for all of us in the economy, um in the domain of health and and basically affecting all uh elements of our lives.
Yeah, but that refusal to face the evidence is feeding into a collective failure to do what all the science agrees needs to be done and you just outlined it there, get off fossil fuels and switch to renewab renewables immediately.
It um I mean I would say it is it is more complicated than just the denialism that you find in in some specific uh uh pockets. What you also see, of course, is that there are significant interests, particularly internationally, uh those selling fossil fuels. Uh and and indeed, as you were already indicating, Europe has uh ample reason for climate reasons but also for reasons of competitiveness and independence. independence to get rid of fossil fuels. I had to give you the numbers, we're importing eighty five percent of the gas, or eighty percent of the gas, and ninety five percent of the oil. And if that was ever uh already a problem, it certainly is a problem after Hormuz.
Why does the EU still rely on LNG, and what roles should renewables and nuclear power play?
Mm, okay, and our government is is pushing ahead with a uh an e a liquid n liquid natural gas uh terminal uh off the coast of Ireland. Is that a good idea? Is that just building up reliance on imported fossil fuels that we need to be getting away with?
Well the reality is that in the very short run you cannot switch your whole system to renewables. As much as I'm a fan of wind and solar, and Ireland is doing phenomenally well in those two domains, also of nuclear, of of battery capacity, more grid capacity, that is in the end the recipe we need in Europe. It is also true that we you cannot switch from one day to the next. So the step to become more independent from Russian gas, uh in my view was absolutely imperative. Uh and that is the reason why we're now getting in more LNG. Yeah. But of course the long term game should be a different one.
Okay, you talk about nuclear energy and I know you're y you're keen on that uh being expanded in Europe. Uh we don't have it here, obviously. It be would be very unpopular here. Is that something that you think we're gonna have to look at?
It's what we always recognise is that this is something for Member States to decide. So no one is gonna uh uh gonna decide other than the Irish what your energy mix is going to be. Sure, but you have a
view, I presume.
And and and the view is is is quite simple. We we um we face we we look at this uh from a technological neutral perspective. Um it just needs to be cleaner, much cleaner than it is today. And whether you go full into wind, or full into solar, or full into nuclear, um uh you expand your grid. I would articulate or I would say that you probably need a combination of all But you have some member states in Europe who are uh very much in favour of nuclear, others who are across the political specter against it. That is something we respect. But for Europe as a whole, we need all the elements of the mix to go up significantly.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
How is climate change affecting Europe, and why is climate denial still a problem?
0:00–2:05
2
Why does the EU still rely on LNG, and what roles should renewables and nuclear power play?
2:05–4:02
3
Can EU countries meet their 2030 climate targets, and what happens if they fall short?
4:02–7:23
4
How can Europe cut agricultural and industrial emissions while keeping climate policies fair?
7:23–9:40
5
How should governments help households with high energy bills while preserving climate incentives?
9:40–11:45
6
Should Europe introduce a windfall tax on energy company profits?
11:45–13:24
7
How can data centers and AI growth be powered with renewable energy?
13:24–15:05
8
How much will climate adaptation cost, and why must climate action be global?
15:05–16:43