“Check against delivery”
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Hello everybody,
I’m delighted to be here today in Iceland for this year’s Arctic Circle Assembly. Climate change is ravaging the Arctic more than elsewhere on Earth.
Ice is melting. Permafrost is thawing. Ancient glaciers, which have been present for thousands or even millions of years, are retreating. This is not a distant future. This is happening right now. And there are broader, very serious, repercussions for the world at large.
The melting ice directly impacts global climate patterns. From the smallest islands to the biggest deserts, climate change is leaving its mark, altering ecosystems and human lives.
The shift in global climate patterns is putting pressure on our energy systems, reshaping infrastructure needs and transforming the landscape of energy demand.
Today, I’ll briefly explain the EU’s energy situation and our efforts to transform our energy system over the past few years.
This is important context in understanding the EU’s engagement in the Arctic and our commitment to a fair and green energy transition.
Dear friends,
Over the past five years, the EU’s energy system has undergone a major overhaul. It started with the European Green Deal when we became the first continent to commit to climate neutrality by 2050. Step by step, we began to put in place a new legal framework to drive the energy sector towards a decarbonised future.
Russia’s unjustified war against Ukraine gave us an extra, even more urgent push to be even more ambitious in our decarbonisation. There was urgent need to replace Russian natural gas with renewables, at least in power generation.
We are seeing the results now, and the numbers speak for themselves. Renewable energy generation in the EU is at an all-time high. In 2024, wind and solar produced more electricity than all fossil fuel sources combined. Half of our electricity now comes from carbon-free sources.
Renewables are the cornerstone of the EU’s energy transformation. Solar, wind, and hydropower – these are the resources that will power our future. Wind and solar energy is being installed in record volumes. Europe has the largest pipeline of green hydrogen projects in the world. Cutting-edge technologies like floating offshore wind are being launched.
The bottom line is that renewable energy is our road to energy independence and economic competitiveness. And it is through this lens that the EU’s views its engagement in the Arctic. The Arctic’s vast potential for renewable energy is untapped. We should harness this to advance our decarbonisation goals and enhance our energy security. In doing so, we can also support the sustainable development of the Arctic. This is a fundamental pillar of the EU’s Arctic Policy, which I will now turn to.
The EU has a strong presence in the Arctic, especially in the European Arctic. In 2021, we updated the EU Arctic Policy to reflect our current understanding and concerns. We emphasize that climate change poses the greatest threat to the Arctic, as well as to the global community. And we reinforce our stance that actions undertaken in the Arctic must prioritise the well-being and interests of those living there. This approach is grounded in cooperation, sustainable development, and inclusion.
One of the most commented actions in our 2021 Arctic was the call for a moratorium of hydrocarbon extraction, including in the Arctic.
Today, with the global energy crisis behind us, we are reigniting discussions with our international partners to establish a binding global moratorium on hydrocarbon development in the Arctic.
This includes not to purchase any such hydrocarbons if they were developed.
Let’s be clear: the European Commission neither issues licences for these activities nor purchases such fuels. We however can foster a conversation.
This would build upon the partial moratoriums in place in the US, Canada, and Greenland, and ongoing discussions this year in Norway on drilling rules and the ice border in the Barents Sea.
We need to ensure that the fragile ecosystems of the Arctic are protected from possible industrial or maritime incidents.
We enter these discussions on the Arctic hydrocarbon moratorium with a clear understanding: The world does not need new oil and gas fields. The IEA has confirmed this in successive reports.
The ambitious Global Pledge at COP28 to triple renewables and double annual energy efficiency improvements by 2030 underscores this further.
Pursuing hydrocarbon exploration in the Arctic contradicts our collective commitment at COP28 to move away from fossil fuels. The science is unequivocal: our future hinges on a transition to a hydrocarbon-free world. The choice is stark — a future without hydrocarbons, or potentially no future at all.
The green and energy transitions can only be successful if everyone is involved and empowered. It’s crucial that we support those most vulnerable and least equipped—particularly local and indigenous communities in the Arctic—to achieve our shared objectives.
Indigenous Peoples face greater risks from climate change and environmental harm, yet they are vital guardians of our environment and biodiversity.
As we go through the green transition, we need to balance the deployment of renewables in the Arctic with traditional practices such as reindeer herding, hunting, and the traditional lands and activities of Indigenous Peoples.
There is also the challenge that many people in the Arctic work in the fossil fuel sector and live in areas with limited or difficult connectivity.
A transition that does not benefit these citizens would not be satisfactory and would ultimately fail.
But engaging people, organisations and businesses will bolster the legitimacy and success of the energy transition.
Europe’s energy security is bound to the health of the Arctic. By protecting this vital region, by embracing renewables, and by ensuring a just transition, we will secure a better future for all.
Thank you for your attention.
Source – EU Commission