Europe pushes energy diversity agenda

BRUSSELS, Nov. 13 (UPI) -- The European Union Thursday submitted proposals covering a wide range of areas meant to ensure diversity and security in the regional energy market.

In its second strategic energy review released Thursday, the European Commission proposed an EU Energy Security and Solidarity Action Plan that calls for a 20 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, a 20 percent increase in use of renewable resources and a 20 percent improvement in energy efficiency over the course of the next decade.

The European Union said in a statement on the review that diversification and flexible infrastructures are a long-term goal for the 20-20-20 plan, while focusing on ways to deal with supply concerns in the short to medium term.

Europe has struggled to ease its dependency on Russian energy reserves by pushing for several pipeline projects, notably the Nabucco pipeline from Central Asia.

The energy review proposes a five-point plan focusing on diversification of energy supplies, addressing complications in regional energy relations, handling supply concerns, improving energy efficiency and utilizing domestic energy resources.

Speaking before the European Commission, President Jose Manuel Barroso said Europe is facing an energy crisis as demand increases in correlation to increases in the cost of energy imports.

"We have to address this urgently, by taking measures to increase our energy efficiency and reduce our dependence on imports," he said. "We have to invest and diversify."