Energy & Climate: On the road to Sibiu: A call to support a reinvigorated Europe and industrial renaissance for a clean planet

The future of Europe's technology industries is inextricably linked with the future of Europe and vice versa. In the next ten years, technological innovation can create change at a pace never seen before and open up immense opportunities for Europe if the right choices are made now. Orgalim has a 2030 industry vision for a renewed Europe that is centered on three strategic imperatives: 

• embracing the innovation-led transformation of European industry 
• enabling European industry’s long-term global leadership 
• transforming societal challenges into future drivers of prosperity 

Leading the global response to climate change, with the EU paving the way for global climate neutrality, will in our view be center stage to Europe’s future policy agenda. According to the IPPC report, implementing the Paris Agreement requires a global effort to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Europe should place itself within this objective. We call on European leaders gathering at the Sibiu Summit to join forces and focus all efforts on turning this global challenge into an opportunity and competitive advantage for EU citizens and EU industry alike: green, sustainable jobs and growth in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals will drive further prosperity and welfare in Europe while protecting our planet. 

Clearly, implementing the Paris process and laying out Europe’s roadmap for 2050 means more than setting targets. Determined action and concrete measures in the next decade, and in particular an ambitious implementation of the clean energy package in Member States, are critical to setting us on the right path. Putting energy efficiency first, and setting up and rolling out timely national energy and climate plans based on concrete national steps and contributions, are among the no regrets measures. Others include driving systemic change to promote the sustainable use of resources and ‘do more with less’; substituting the most polluting energy carriers; ensuring more electrification and alternative fuels deployment in the transport, buildings and industry sectors; supporting more sector coupling including power-to-x solutions; unlocking investment in high-tech infrastructures; and massively promoting research and development.

To read our recommendations in full, please download the position paper above.