WindEurope’s Giles Dickson: Vote for European Parliament representatives who will secure renewables-based future

There’s a real risk that the new European Parliament will have more members who are skeptical about the need for accelerated action on climate and clean energy, WindEurope’s Chief Executive Officer Giles Dickson warned. He called on citizens to elect representatives that uphold European values and a sustainable future.

The new European Parliament could end up being much less in favor of renewables and wind energy than the current one if the turnout is low, WindEurope said, as voting started in the European elections. From today through to Sunday, millions of Europeans are electing their representatives.

They help make laws that impact the growth of renewables, he explained. Members of the European Parliament have passed legislation that simplified permitting for new wind farms and grids – and enshrined the EU’s new target of 42.5% renewables in energy by 2030.

“Now there’s a real risk that the new European Parliament will have more members who are skeptical about the need for accelerated action on climate and clean energy. Can we risk that? Every vote makes a difference,” Dickson stressed.

Election is all about turnout

The election is all about turnout and which side gets more of its supporters to go and vote – those who are skeptical about action on climate and clean energy or those in the mainstream who understand its importance, WindEurope’s CEO added.

“Of course we’re not telling you who to vote for. But it is in our collective interest and our individual responsibility that we should all vote. For a European Parliament that upholds European values and the sustainable future we are all working towards, do tell your family, friends and colleagues to go and vote,” Dickson stated.

WindEurope has launched its campaign webpage for the current European elections.

Still lot to do

Keeping the momentum now means sending the right people to the European Parliament for the next five-year term, because there’s still a lot to do, the association’s Chief Policy Officer Pierre Tardieu said. He highlighted grid development, electrification and boosting wind supply chains.

“Europe has been through a lot over the last five years. COVID, the Ukraine war, an energy crisis and, of course, the worsening effects of climate change. And over the last five years, the European Parliament has voted for laws that put renewables at the heart of our response to these crises. Massively raising the renewable energy targets, keeping strong investment signals for renewables and laying the groundwork for a European industrial policy for renewables. And, of course, the European Parliament voted for climate neutrality by 2050. That’s the law of the land now,” Tardieu asserted.