As part of the Ifri Energy Program, a seminar with Marcus Becker, European Energy Policy Executive, General Electric and Adrian Joyce, Secretary General, EuroAce, Claude Turmes, Vice President of the Green Group, European Parliament (tbc). Chaired by: Maïté Jaureguy-Naudin, Research Fellow, Project Manager of the Energy Program at Ifri and Jacques Lesourne, Chairman of the Scientific of the Ifri Energy Program.

Last June, the European Commission proposed a draft Energy Efficiency Directive in order to update, centralize and advance previous directives and to enhance development of related applications in EU member States. To date, EU progress in improving the energy intensity of its economy or the carbon intensity of its energy mix has been lackluster. Recent developments in the nuclear sector demand even greater rigor in efficiency. It has been said time and again that energy efficiency could be the main source of reduced GHG emissions and by far the most cost-effective. However, habits and energy mixes take long to change. Is the Energy efficiency directive proposed by the European Commission on June 2011 ambitious enough to put the less publicized of the 3*20 objectives on the right path? Are the tools set in place by the European Union to fight global warming complementary or in conflict such as the public spat between DG Climate & DG Energy over the draft release could lead us to believe ? Is the strategy strong enough to spur the renovation of the existing block? What would be the impact for the industry? For the power sector? Can we really expect to improve energy or carbon intensities in the absence of economic growth? Such are the questions that this conference will discuss.