Changes from plenary report to adopted text

S. whereas financial flows for energy remain concentrated in a small group of countries, often leaving least developed countries behind; whereas in terms of geographical targeting, only three of the top ten beneficiaries are least developed countries, which shows that resources for expanding energy access and fighting energy poverty have not been allocated by order of priority;

T. whereas the energy transition is severely and persistently underfunded in developing regions, in particular in the least developed countries; whereas the Natural Resource Governance Institute defines the resource curse as the failure of many resource-rich countries to benefit fully from their natural resource wealth, and for governments in these countries to respond effectively to public welfare needs; whereas excessive reliance on exports of fossil fuels entails a risk of low economic diversification;

U. whereas the EU should increase the financing of renewable energies in developing countries, particularly in the new geopolitical context created by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, while addressing corruption and weak institutions, which exacerbate the problems of underfunding, particularly in least developed countries;

V. whereas most EU-funded projects aim to promote electricity generation, yet the distribution segment is the weakest, despite being essential in achieving SDG 7; whereas many developing countries continue to rely on coal as the primary energy source for electricity generation;

W. whereas the countries most affected by the negative consequences of climate change bear the least responsibility for emissions; whereas Africa is home to almost 18 % of the world’s population but accounts for less than 6 % of global energy use; whereas Africa is responsible for only 3 % of the world’s energy-related CO2 emissions; whereas the countries that make up the G20 account for 80 % of global emissions;

X. whereas the Africa-EU Energy Partnership was renewed in February 2022 to reflect the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the EU’s priorities on climate change, energy security, REPowerEU and the Global Gateway, which have as their objective the promotion of renewable energy generation and distribution, including for export to Europe; whereas an investment package of approximately EUR 150 billion was announced to support the continents’ common ambitions, as set out in the 2030 Agenda and the African Union’s Agenda 2063, with the aim, among others, of ensuring an energy transition that is cost-effective, modern, efficient, reliable, fair, just and equitable;

Y. whereas the EU’s just energy transition partnership with South Africa is an example of the EU’s willingness to position itself as a global leader in the just energy transition, thus contributing to the external dimension of the EU energy and climate strategy and promoting the ambition of the European Green Deal worldwide;

Z. whereas the energy autonomy of Small Island Developing States, building on their high renewable energy potential, should remain a clear objective;

AA. whereas what is labelled ‘low-carbon hydrogen’ may also include hydrogen produced using nuclear power and natural gas, meaning it is not necessarily emission-free; whereas green hydrogen from renewable sources is the only type of hydrogen that can truly contribute to climate neutrality in the long term;

AB. whereas REPowerEU sets a target of importing 10 million tonnes of green hydrogen annually by 2030; whereas to this end, the Commission signed memorandums of understanding for strategic renewable hydrogen partnerships with Namibia and Egypt in November 2022, among other initiatives;

AC. whereas according to the International Energy Agency’s Global Hydrogen Review 2023, 99 % of the hydrogen produced worldwide is made from fossil fuels;

AD. whereas green hydrogen has the potential to accelerate the path to the decarbonisation of industrial production in partner countries, provided that it does not slow down the local energy transition and is part of a broader strategy to reduce the overall consumption of energy in developed countries in order to respect planetary boundaries; whereas at the same time, however, due account must be taken of the fact that the necessary infrastructure for green hydrogen is capital- and technology-intensive, that the long-distance transport and storage of hydrogen is energy-intensive and expensive, and that the large-scale production of green hydrogen requires vast amounts of land and water;

AE. whereas the 2030 and 2050 climate objectives will not be achieved without the decarbonisation of key hard-to-abate sectors; whereas importing green hydrogen from non-EU countries is an important part of new EU strategic partnerships; whereas according to the International Energy Agency’s Global Hydrogen Review 2023, cost challenges are threatening the long-term profitability of the deployment of hydrogen production; whereas the deployment of hydrogen production could entail the risk of extending fossil fuel use and extractivist practices, including the possible large-scale appropriation of land, water and energy in developing producer countries;

AF. whereas critical raw materials play a pivotal role in ensuring the accessibility and affordability of clean energy technologies for all, whereas the EU is in the process of establishing a coherent framework to ensure their continuous, secure and responsible supply, while upholding human rights and supporting local development;

AG. whereas decentralised mini-grid and off-grid renewable energy offers good solutions for remote communities, particularly in terms of job creation, education and health, but needs to be accompanied by public support to create a viable and responsible business model;

AH. whereas the expansion of renewables based on solar and wind power, the production of renewable hydrogen and the construction of hydroelectric dams also raise challenges as they require large areas of land, thus possibly interfering with existing land use and local needs, in particular regarding access to water, and may cause the displacement of local and indigenous communities, as well as harming ecosystems and natural habitats; whereas land and sea areas that could be used for renewable energy generation need to be identified while taking into account respect for biodiversity, the local economy and the consent of indigenous populations;

AI. whereas the transition to renewables is projected to create more employment in the renewables sector; whereas new renewable technologies have the potential to generate economic opportunities, which in turn have the ability to support the achievement of the right to livelihood and decent work; whereas Africa has a promising future in renewable energy systems, having 60 % of the world’s best solar resources yet only 1 % of installed solar capacity; whereas Latin America is one of the world’s leading regions for renewable energy use and generation;

AJ. whereas according to the International Energy Agency, global hydropower capacity is set to increase by 17 % between 2021 and 2030; whereas most untapped hydropower potential lies in developing economies across Africa, Asia and Latin America; whereas, however, large-scale hydropower projects are associated with negative social and environmental impacts ranging from the displacement of vulnerable human populations to the destruction of unique biodiversity; whereas hydropower raises new challenges in the context of climate change, which will dramatically increase the frequency of floods and droughts on the rivers where hydropower projects operate, increasing risks to both the projects’ safety and their capacity to generate electricity;

AK. whereas the EU and partner countries share a common but differentiated responsibility to achieve a sustainable energy transition; whereas EU support for renewable energy projects must, in the first place, meet the local population’s needs before supporting export;

AL. whereas the stated desire of certain developing countries to exploit their hydrocarbon resources should also be analysed in the light of the EU’s push for a global pledge at COP28 to phase out fossil fuels; whereas the usage of natural resources for energy generation has the potential to create economic opportunities, however, by prioritising the export of renewable energy, developing countries could potentially jeopardise their domestic energy transition and increase the share of fossil fuel consumption in their own electricity mix;

AM. whereas according to the World Resources Institute, 25 % of the world’s population faces extremely high water stress each year; whereas water is central to growing crops and raising livestock, generating electricity, maintaining human health, fostering equitable societies and meeting the world’s climate goals;

AN. whereas agri-food systems consume about 30 % of the world’s energy and a third of the sector’s greenhouse gas emissions come from energy use; whereas the energy transition and the transformation of agri-food systems are intertwined;

Promote universal access to clean energy

1. Recalls that access to universal, affordable and sustainable energy is a basic human right and a precondition for achieving the SDGs and attaining the objective of leaving no one behind; recognises, to this end, the role of public and private financing; stresses that a net-zero carbon future and the development of renewables must go hand in hand with economic diversification, green industrialisation, decarbonisation, poverty reduction and a human rights-based approach;

2. Stresses that ensuring a stable energy supply is not only an economic and logistical issue, but also a geopolitical one; recalls that Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has had a severe impact on global energy markets, particularly in developing countries, and that coordinated action is still needed to ensure stable energy supplies and affordable prices;

3. Calls for the EU to foster access to renewable energy in developing countries through policy, regulatory and administrative support, including capacity-building and transfers of technology; encourages partnerships that move away from the exploitation of fossil resources and focus on clean energy use; stresses the need to make sure that green investments contribute to socio-economic development and greater participation by developing countries in the new net-zero energy geopolitical landscape;

4. Highlights the need to develop solutions to help deliver renewable energy deployment in developing countries, including marine and river energy, while protecting biodiversity; stresses the significant potential for the installation of offshore renewable energy generation facilities in developing countries; emphasises the need for holistic management of maritime areas, involving all relevant stakeholders and respecting the consent of local communities;

5. Strongly encourages developing countries to commit to energy justice through their regulatory frameworks, which should ensure local acceptance, community participation, land rights protection and adherence to internationally recognised human rights standards, with the aim of securing access and affordable energy for all; underlines the necessity of linking energy partnerships to the adoption of regulatory frameworks and of providing technical assistance for their enactment;

6. Points out that energy security requires a gender-specific approach; stresses that energy poverty disproportionately affects women and girls; highlights their daily involvement in collecting firewood and charcoal far from their homes; calls for the inclusion of women as active agents in the energy transition process, including in marine conservation areas;

7. Calls for the EU to step up its technical support in mainstreaming gender in the energy transition, including by prioritising gender-responsive energy projects that involve women-led energy organisations and businesses and also ensure local ownership, paying particular attention to least developed countries and middle-income countries that suffer from significant intra-country inequalities in terms of access to energy and clean cooking; stresses the importance of gathering gender-disaggregated data on access to energy to guide the EU’s external action regarding energy; points out that energy poverty also affects minorities and marginalised communities;

8. Is worried about the health and environmental consequences of household fuelwood emissions, such as respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and cancer, forest degradation, greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss; draws attention to the risk associated with the increasing use of unclean cooking fuels to serve the energy needs of the growing population, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa;

9. Stresses that in many places, people living in extreme poverty no longer have access to firewood and that, consequently, they heat and cook using other materials found around the home or nearby, such as tyres and other substances that are harmful to health; highlights, against this backdrop, that women and girls are disproportionately affected by household air pollution;

10. Points out that the pace at which access to clean cooking fuels is currently being expanded in many developing countries is not fast enough to meet the related targets under SDG 7 by 2030; acknowledges the multifaceted challenges related to the adoption of clean cooking and appropriate cookstoves that are in line with WHO standards; calls for awareness to be raised of the health risks linked to household air pollution from traditional cooking practices and of the benefits of alternatives; urges the EU to support financially, advocate for and encourage national action in partner countries;

11. Further calls for the EU to incorporate access to clean cooking as a priority within its energy partnerships and its multiannual indicative programmes with developing countries and in the programming of cooperation at local, regional and national levels; stresses the importance of consultation with civil society on the ground, particularly with women-led organisations, with a view to achieving gender equality and promoting a more equal division of domestic and care work between men and women in line with the concept of a care society; points out the opportunities presented by Global Gateway initiatives such as the Modern Cooking Facility for Africa and Strengthening the Entrepreneurial Environment for Clean Cooking initiatives;

12. Calls, furthermore, for the EU to pay particular attention to infrastructure and utilities, including construction of and access to sewage systems, and household or community access to wells or water purification systems;

13. Regrets the devastating impact of the lack of access to electricity on the basic needs of populations; calls for the EU and its Member States to make electrification a priority in their cooperation and partnerships with developing countries; stresses, in particular, the need to invest in generation capacity, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, in order to achieve the objective of universal access to energy;

14. Draws attention to opportunities for access to alternative energies, such as unexploited geothermal energy resources; points out that support with the affordability of energy costs is crucial for expanding access to electricity, particularly in Africa, where 30 % of the population cannot afford an essential bundle of electricity services;

15. Expresses concern over the increasing energy needs among refugees and internally displaced persons living in camps; regrets the fact that in isolated areas and humanitarian settings, energy insecurity prevents local health clinics and schools from operating fully;

16. Stresses the need to increase the humanitarian aid budget line in the context of the revision of the multiannual financial framework in order to meet humanitarian needs, including by stepping up financial assistance for ensuring energy provision in camps, including through green off-grid, mini-grid and renewable energy projects, so as to guarantee that humanitarian organisations on the ground can provide basic humanitarian aid, particularly medical and urgent care;

Support the energy transition in line with the principle of policy coherence for development

17. Urges the EU and its Member States to ensure policy coherence for sustainable development across the EU external energy agenda, which should be tailored to local specificities and needs;

18. Reiterates its commitment towards energy justice; calls for the EU to support developing countries in implementing rights-based renewable energy regimes that effectively contribute to their sustainable development; believes that the principle of free, prior and informed consent for affected communities is a precondition for a successful green and just energy transition; highlights the importance of promoting energy efficiency and local skills and of encouraging technology innovation, technology transfer and technical cooperation in such energy transition projects;

19. Stresses the need for the EU to support developing countries, where required, in establishing or reinforcing regulatory frameworks that guarantee energy distribution and universal service across their territories, as well as good governance capacity and transparency in any energy transition projects; calls for the EU to enhance technical assistance to reform electricity systems; calls, furthermore, on the Commission to report on progress achieved in improving energy access and energy sector regulation through dedicated EU projects and investments in partner developing countries;

20. Highlights the potential risks of land-use and water-use conflicts, particularly forced resettlement and expropriation for large-scale renewable energy installations; urges the EU, through its partnerships, to support governments of developing countries to:

21. Notes that for some large-scale green energy projects (such as wind and solar power), like those being set up in dryland areas, for example, adequate consultation with the customary land users (such as pastoralists) is essential; recalls that traditional communal rights have a rather weak legal status and are often not implemented, which can potentially increase the risk of land grabbing; calls, against this backdrop, for the EU and its partner countries to recognise and protect indigenous people’s rights to customary ownership and control of their lands and natural resources, as set out in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and International Labour Organization Convention 169, and to comply with the principle of free, prior and informed consent;

22. Recommends that EU Member States that have not done so should ratify International Labour Organization Convention 169 on indigenous and tribal peoples;

23. Acknowledges the impact that water-intensive energy conversion practices, such as hydropower plants and hydrogen production, can have on agricultural communities; highlights the adverse effects of hydropower dams on rivers and biodiversity, particularly in estuaries, as outlined in the report of the World Commission on Dams of 16 November 2000, among others; stresses, however, the potential to develop osmotic power, particularly in estuaries and deltas, to provide solutions for the generation of renewable energy;

24. Recalls that large hydropower projects in developing countries often face a range of challenges, including prohibitive upfront costs, major cost overruns and delays, difficulties in attracting finance, social and environmental footprints, vulnerability to climate change and some poor track records when it comes to delivering the promised power; stresses the importance of promoting sustainable hydropower projects by conducting comprehensive environmental and social impact assessments and ensuring meaningful community participation; is of the opinion that, where possible, priority should be given to other small-scale and different types of renewable energy projects;

25. Stresses that according to the recommendations of the report of the World Commission on Dams of 16 November 2000, any planning of dams should be evaluated according to five values: equity, efficiency, participatory decision-making, sustainability and accountability; highlights, more broadly, that the decision-making process with regard to dams should fully take into account the notion of human rights, as enshrined in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the related covenants adopted thereafter, so as to resolve complex issues surrounding water, dams and development; underlines that the EU should work within the remit of its partnerships with developing countries to ensure that the communities affected by dam projects are adequately compensated and provided with appropriate livelihood restoration measures;

26. Is concerned about the fragility of facilities in the face of extreme weather events, as highlighted by the recent floods in Libya, which swept away entire neighbourhoods and damaged critical infrastructure; insists on the paramount objectives of SDG 9, which seeks to build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation;

27. Notes, with concern, that Africa hosts an increasing number of fossil fuel projects, which risks preventing it from making a timely leap to renewable energy; further notes that although Africa is home to 18 % of the world’s population, it only accounts for 6 % of global energy consumption; recalls that a major portion of current oil, gas and coal production in Africa is destined for export, while the continent continues to be plagued by energy poverty; insists that it is necessary to prioritise investment in sustainable renewable energy infrastructure in Africa, particularly in rural and marginalised communities, through the establishment of decentralised energy systems and microgrid networks;

28. Calls for the EU to encourage the development of energy systems that do not involve or rely on the expansion of existing or new fossil fuel projects, in line with the recommendations of the International Energy Agency; stresses the importance of win-win partnerships that also benefit exporting countries and their populations in terms of renewable energy;

29. Denounces the double standards whereby private and public financial institutions in developed countries are increasingly making pledges to reach carbon neutrality by 2050 while financing the development and expansion of fossil fuels; underlines that calls for low- and middle-income countries to reduce their dependence on coal will not be effective as long as developed countries continue to rely decisively on other fossil fuels;

30. Recalls that renewables-based alternatives can increasingly provide a cheaper, more accessible, inclusive and reliable source of energy; stresses the role of renewable energy in increasing the adaptation and efficiency of agri-food systems; calls for the EU and its Member States to make the use of renewables in agri-food systems a priority in their partnership agreements with non-EU countries;

31. Recommends carrying out a joint energy transition planning exercise within the framework of the partnership between the EU and the African Union, drawing on the African, Caribbean and Pacific-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly and African civil societies, while respecting the sovereignty of African nations; recommends drawing up guidelines on the fair sharing of investments, revenues, technologies and skills;