Thomas Pellerin-Carlin, a 34-year-old French researcher who recently joined the European Parliament as a Social Democrat lawmaker, is on a mission to ensure the EU doesn’t backtrack on its green promises. He believes the EU’s future hinges on tackling climate change and that the bloc must remain steadfast in its commitment to the European Green Deal (EGD).
Pellerin-Carlin, a member of the European Parliament’s Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE), argues that the EU needs a new energy security strategy, including legislation to boost domestic renewables and optimize the electricity grid. This strategy should also prioritize investment in European industrial competitiveness and reduce dependence on the US. He emphasizes the need for a public and private investment framework to unleash the EGD’s potential, paving the way for Europe’s transition into the 4th Industrial Revolution.
He highlights the importance of addressing the issue of energy poverty, stating that a just transition must be implemented to ensure that the green transition benefits all territories, workers, and citizens. He believes that the EU must take a firm stance against member states that fail to meet their climate targets, initiating infringement procedures where necessary.
Pellerin-Carlin criticizes the current EU Council’s presidency, held by a government that he believes undermines the principles of the Union. He hopes for a pro-European majority to emerge in both the European Parliament and the Council to advance the EGD and other crucial files.
Addressing the EU’s energy security, he emphasizes the need for a new strategy to address the changing landscape. He argues that the current strategy, dating from 2014, is outdated due to the war in Ukraine. The new strategy should focus on boosting domestic energy production, optimizing the electricity grid, reducing energy demand, and strengthening partnerships with key players in the cleantech sector, such as Chile and Australia.
Regarding nuclear energy, Pellerin-Carlin advocates for a united approach that prioritizes all renewable energy sources, from wind power and solar PV to solar thermal and heat pumps. He believes that the EU’s energy policy should accommodate the diverse approaches to nuclear energy within the bloc, recognizing that it remains a significant contributor to the decarbonised electricity system for some countries.
Pellerin-Carlin emphasizes the need for the EU to act decisively in the face of competition from other nations in the cleantech race. He highlights the need to invest in clean technologies, such as wind turbines, heat pumps, and solar panels, to ensure both environmental sustainability and European prosperity. He argues that the EU’s reliance on fossil fuels places its industry at an energy price disadvantage compared to the US, which has abundant oil and gas reserves. He sees the transition to renewable energy as the key to boosting European industrial competitiveness.
Pellerin-Carlin is a staunch advocate for the EU’s green ambitions, believing that the bloc must deliver on its promises to its citizens, especially its youth who have made climate change a central issue in their political engagement. He insists that the EU cannot afford to backtrack on its commitments and must instead prioritize a unified and ambitious approach to tackling climate change, ensuring a sustainable and prosperous future for Europe.
