Alfred Sant: Sorsi ta’ enerġiji rinnovabbli jiżguraw l-awtonomija u s-sostenibbiltà tal-enerġija

Waqt plenarja tal-Parlament Ewropew rigward riżoluzzjoni dwar ir-rispons Ewropew għaż-żieda fil-prezzijiet tal-enerġija fl-Ewropa, l-eks Prim Ministru Alfred Sant issuġġerixxa li l-profitti sproporzjonati fl-enerġija għandhom jiġu riveduti. Huwa saħaq li dawn ir-reviżjonijiet għandhom ikunu bbażati fuq studji u analiżi li ma jkunux emottivi imma razzjonali.

L-Istati Membri Ewropej adottaw regolament ta’ emerġenza biex jindirizzaw il-prezzijiet għoljin tal-enerġija. Dan għandu l-għan li jgħin liċ-ċittadini u lin-negozji li huma l-aktar affettwati mill-kriżi tal-enerġija. Ir-regolament jinkludi tliet miżuri li għandhom jidħlu fis-seħħ minnufih: Tnaqqis fl-użu tal-elettriku; limitu fuq id-dħul tal-produtturi tal-elettriku; u l-impożizzjoni ta’ “kontribuzzjoni ta’ solidarjetà” – din bażikament tikkonsisti f’taxxa fuq profitti mhux previsti minn negozji tal-fjuwils fossili.

 Il-Membru Parlamentari Ewropew Laburista Sant esprima qbil li dawk soġġetti għal faqar estrem tal-enerġija, familji vulnerabbli u intrapriżi żgħar u ta’ daqs medju għandhom jingħataw aktar għajnuna biex ilaħħqu mal-prezzijiet għolja tal-enerġija. “Minn naħa l-oħra, l-aġġornament propost u mixtieq tal-pjattaforma tal-enerġija tal-Unjoni Ewropea għal xiri konġunt mill-Ewropa ta’ prodotti tal-enerġija biex jinkisbu ekonomiji ta’ skala jeħtieġ allinjament politiku sħiħ fost l-Istati Membri, li madanakollu għadu pendenti, huwa saħaq.

 Fl-aħħar nett, Sant innota li għandhom jittieħdu miżuri preventivi minn issa biex jiġu miġġielda kriżijiet futuri meta l-Unjoni Ewropea jkollha differenzi fondamentali ma’ pajjiżi li jfornuha bl-enerġija. Għal dan il-għan, l-iżvilupp ta’ enerġiji li jiġġeddu huwa t-triq ewlenija ‘l quddiem biex jiġu żgurati għall-Ewropa l-awtonomija u s-sostenibbiltà fil-provista tal-enerġija.

Alfred Sant: Renewable energies ensure energy autonomy and sustainability

 During a plenary of the European Parliament on a resolution regarding the European response to the increase in energy prices in Europe, former Prime Minister Alfred Sant argued that the disproportionate profits in energy should be corrected. He emphasized that these revisions should be based on dispassionate assessments. 

European Member States adopted an emergency regulation to address high energy prices. This aims to help citizens and businesses that are most affected by the energy crisis. The regulation includes three emergency measures: A reduction of electricity use; a cap on revenues of electricity producers; and the imposition of a “solidarity contribution”, basically a tax on windfall profits from fossil fuel businesses.

 Labour MEP Sant expressed agreement that those subject to extreme energy poverty, vulnerable households and small and medium-sized enterprises should be given more assistance against high energy prices. “On the other hand, the proposed and desirable upgrade of the European Union energy platform into a joint European procurer of energy sources to attain scale economies in purchasing power requires full, but still pending, political alignment among Member States, he stressed.

 Finally, Sant emphasized that preventive measures must be taken as of now to counter future crises when the European Union has irreconcilable differences with countries that supply it with energy. To this end, the development of renewable energies is the major way forward to ensure energy autonomy and sustainability.