EU external energy engagements

The EU's energy and climate diplomacy with global partners is guided by the EU external energy engagement strategy. It aims to advance sustainable, secure and affordable energy systems in Europe and around the world, in line with the Paris Agreement and subsequent climate commitments such as those adopted at COP28.

Strategy for EU external energy engagement

In the context of the global energy crisis, aggravated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the deepening climate emergency, the EU external energy engagement strategy was presented in May 2022 as part of the REPowerEU Plan. It aims to reinforce the EU’s engagement with partners and strengthen its climate and energy diplomacy. 

It sets out the objectives of the EU’s external energy policy which include

• reducing overall energy demand and ensuring fair competition for resources
• boosting energy savings, energy efficiency and the development of renewables
• supporting Ukraine to build back better
• preparing for further EU energy market integration
• repairing energy infrastructure
• paving the way for a future green hydrogen partnership

EU Energy Platform

At the request of the European Council, and in line with REPowerEU, the Commission launched the EU Energy Platform in April 2022 to secure the EU's energy supply and to phase out our dependency on Russian gas.

To date, the platform has played a key role in diversifying supplies, increasing efficiency of infrastructure use, and negotiating with reliable international partners.

Global pledge on renewables and energy efficiency

Without acting decisively on renewables and energy efficiency, the 1.5°C trajectory agreed in Paris 2015 will be compromised. Current policies at global level, particularly those concerning the energy transition, would lead to a temperature increase of 3°C, based on the Commission’s Global Energy and Climate Outlook 2022.

When implemented together, these 2 goals will ensure that almost no new fossil capacities are deployed and that the world moves away from unabated fossil fuels at a pace in line with our 1.5°C goal. The pledge and its objective were ultimately adopted by all countries in the first Global Stocktake adopted at COP28. In essence, thanks to the efforts of EU diplomacy, the pledge and its goals have become a global commitment, on which the EU and all countries in the world are following up

• The Global Renewables Summit, in September 2024, focused on the progress, opportunities and challenges of tripling renewable energy globally by 2030.
• The International Renewable Energy Agency launched in October 2024 a 3-month digital campaign ‘3xRenewables- for the planet & its people‘ to advocate tripling global renewable power capacity by 2030
• COP 29 in Baku, November 2024, aims to take the global commitment further

Energy-related Memoranda of Understanding 

Since the strategy for EU external energy engagement was launched in May 2022, the EU has signed several memoranda of understandings with global energy partners. They aim to strengthen the EU’s international energy cooperation and focus on priorities, as listed below. 

Together with the US, the EU launched the Global Methane Pledge at COP26 in 2021. Its more than 150 participating countries agree to take voluntary actions to contribute to a collective effort to reduce global methane emissions at least 30% from 2020 levels by 2030. 

At COP28, the EU and its member countries announced €175 million in support of the Methane Finance Spirit to boost methane reduction. Adittionaly, President von der Leyen announced plans to develop a roadmap for COP29 to facilitate greater collaboration on cutting methane emissions between importers and exporters.

Energy Efficiency Hub 

The Commission is 1 of 16 voluntary members of the Energy Efficiency Hub, established at the G20 meeting in Hamburg 2017. It seeks to strengthen global intergovernmental collaboration on energy efficiency and allows members to learn from each other on the design and implementation of energy efficiency policies to overcome common challenges. Its Secretariat is hosted by the International Energy Agency (IEA). 

The Commission is a member of 3 Energy Efficiency Hub task groups

• Super-Efficient Equipment and Appliances Deployment (SEAD) -  this group is led by the UK, India and Sweden and the Commission. It promotes the manufacture, purchase, and use of efficient appliances, lighting, and equipment worldwide.
• Energy Efficiency in Buildings – aims to exchange policy information about improving energy efficiency in buildings. 
• Digitalisation Working Group – focuses on advancing digitalisation of energy efficient technologies in the buildings, industry and transport sectors.

Related links 

• Global Pledge on Renewables and Energy Efficiency (COP28 UAE)
• European External Action Service - Energy diplomacy
• The EU external energy engagement in a changing world (JOIN/2022/23)
• REPowerEU Plan (COM/2022/230)
• Paris Agreement