The power sector is responsible for releasing more than 1.2
billiontons of carbon dioxide (CO2) and over 2600 tons of
dangerousradioactive waste every year. Today Greenpeace challenged
Europe's topten climate criminals to move to renewable energy
would, secure energysupplies for the future, and avoid dangerous
"Because more than half of Europe's working coal power plants
are overtwenty years old, the next ten years are crucial. The
powersector will decide how the new energy capacity will be built:
whetherEurope's power supply will be dirty fossil fuels and unsafe
nuclearenergy, or efficient and clean renewable energy. This is a
greatopportunity for Europe to shift to renewables," said Sven
Teske,Greenpeace International's energy expert.
EU countries such as Germany, Italy, Spain and France rely on
importedenergy with no guarantee of supply for the future. The
EuropeanCommission estimates the EU could be forced to import 70%
of its totalenergy, and 90% of its oil in the next 20 to 30 years
if no newmeasures are taken.
"Every euro invested in clean energy is a step away from
dependency onimported fuels, world market prices and climate
disruption. Renewableenergy is the best way to meet needs for clean
electricity," Teskesaid. " The switch to clean energy will help
protect the climate,insulate national economies from the
fluctuations of the global marketsfor fossil and nuclear fuels, and
provide secure access to energy forfuture generations."
Other contacts: For more information please contact:Sven Teske, Greenpeace International energy expert, + 31 6 212 96894Cecilia Goin, Greenpeace International media officer, + 31 6 212 96 908
Notes: (1). "Whose Power is it anyway?" The report identifies the sources of electricity generation (the electricity mix), the amount of CO2 emissions and the quantity of nuclear waste produced by the ten companies. According to the report, RWE emits annually nearly 170 million tonnes of CO2. German based E.on and Italy-based ENEL follow in second and third place, with over 70 million tonnes of CO2 emissions from their power plants.(2) EdF, E.on, RWE, ENEL, Vattenfall, Electrabel, EnBW, Endesa, Iberdrola and British EnergyGreenpeace is an independent campaigning organisation that uses non-violent, creative confrontation to expose global environmental problems and to force solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future.
Exp. contact date: 2005-05-10 00:00:00