LINKING AN EU EMISSION REDUCTION TARGET BEYOND 20 % TO ENERGY SECURITY IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE

The research examines how increasing the EU's 2020 emission reduction target beyond 20% interacts with energy security in Poland, the Czech Republic, and Latvia. It distinguishes between 'objective' energy security (quantifiable parameters) and 'subjective' energy security (political discourse), finding that these often diverge. The authors argue that more stringent targets could improve energy security by reducing import dependency through renewables and energy efficiency, and by providing a clearer policy framework to avoid 'suboptimal investment' and 'stranded assets' in technologies like nuclear and carbon capture and storage (CCS). While Poland and the Czech Republic express high subjective insecurity despite relatively stable objective positions, Latvia remains objectively vulnerable due to its high reliance on Russian imports, though it possesses significant renewable potential.

• Stronger EU emission reduction targets could improve energy security for CEE Member States, especially peripheral ones like Latvia, by reducing import dependency through expanded renewables and energy efficiency.
• The existing 20/20/20 framework may lead to suboptimal technology choices and investment lock-in, particularly for Poland, as it lacks sufficient support for nuclear power and carbon capture and storage (CCS).
• In Poland, there is a gap between objective energy security, where the country is relatively comfortable due to domestic coal, and subjective perception, which is characterized by a high sense of unilateral dependence on Russia.
• The Czech Republic has successfully diversified its energy imports via the IKL-pipeline for oil and contracts with Norway for gas, yet subjective concerns about Russian dependence remain high.
• The Czech Republic views nuclear energy as a primary tool for achieving both climate mitigation and energy security goals.
• Latvia is objectively highly dependent on Russia for gas and oil imports and lacks interconnections to other EU markets, though this is partially mitigated by large gas storage capacities at Incukalns.
• Latvia is a leader in renewable energy use within the EU, primarily through biomass and run-of-the-river hydropower, and has significant untapped potential for further energy efficiency improvements.
• Ambiguous climate policy creates investment risks in Poland, as uncertainty over future carbon prices may lead to the deferral of necessary investments in low-carbon technologies.
• Traditional energy security tools, such as supply diversification and market integration, are complementary to—rather than substitutes for—stronger climate policies.
• The EU budget could help CEE Member States overcome financial and capacity barriers to implementing climate and energy security goals.

APA

Spencer, T., Korppoo, A., Lang, K.-O., & Kremer, M. (2011). LINKING AN EU EMISSION REDUCTION TARGET BEYOND 20 % TO ENERGY SECURITY IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE. Climate Strategies. https://climatestrategies.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/cs-energy-security-fiia.pdf

Chicago

Spencer, Tomas, Anna Korppoo, Kai-Olaf Lang, and Martin Kremer. LINKING AN EU EMISSION REDUCTION TARGET BEYOND 20 % TO ENERGY SECURITY IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE. Climate Strategies, 2011. https://climatestrategies.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/cs-energy-security-fiia.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Spencer |first1=Tomas |last2=Korppoo |first2=Anna |last3=Lang |first3=Kai-Olaf |last4=Kremer |first4=Martin |title=LINKING AN EU EMISSION REDUCTION TARGET BEYOND 20 % TO ENERGY SECURITY IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE |publisher=Climate Strategies |date=March 2011 |url=https://climatestrategies.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/cs-energy-security-fiia.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{spencer2011linking, author = {Spencer, Tomas and Korppoo, Anna and Lang, Kai-Olaf and Kremer, Martin}, title = {{LINKING AN EU EMISSION REDUCTION TARGET BEYOND 20 \% TO ENERGY SECURITY IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE}}, institution = {Climate Strategies}, year = {2011}, month = mar, url = {https://climatestrategies.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/cs-energy-security-fiia.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }