Breaking Europe?s Climate-Change Stalemate
by The Daily Eye Team February 14 2015, 3:09 pm Estimated Reading Time: 0 mins, 50 secsEurope has a strong tradition as a leader in the fight against climate change. Lately, however, the continent has reached an ideological impasse over how to address the problem, with environmental sustainability and growth often portrayed as being mutually exclusive. If Europe is to remain an environmental leader, as well as a center of innovation and competitiveness, it will have to abandon its ideological rigidness and embrace realistic, pragmatic solutions that can deliver environmental benefits without sacrificing economic development. The challenges posed by climate change are real, and the consequences of inaction are impossible to ignore. At the same time, there is a growing demand for energy and a desperate need for a long-term exit from the ongoing economic crisis. There is no single, easy solution that addresses both of these imperatives. Reining in global warming while ensuring economic growth will require a balanced portfolio of solutions, including renewable energy and increased energy efficiency. Essential among such solutions is carbon capture and storage.