France and Germany share the same climate goals, and face similar challenges in their energy transition: an alliance for a clean-energy transition could therefore enhance France's and Germany's capacity to implement and make this transition happen; the alliance could also form the heart of a joint initiative for reviving European integration.
KEY MESSAGES:
- Shared challenges
France and Germany’s energy systems are interconnected and share many similarities. The two countries therefore share challenges which can be approached jointly: integrating solar and wind energy into the electricity system, transforming existing electricity infrastructure, rolling out the energy transition within the transport sector, developing strategies to ensure a just transition for employees and regions vulnerable to economic restructuring, and mobilizing the funding needed for low-carbon investments.
- The priorities of a Franco-German co-operation on energy
France and Germany have co-operated closely on energy issues for a while now. However, this collaboration must be strengthened and focused around a common strategic vision and aligned with reinforcing integration within European Union. This co-operation can be built along several lines: working towards a common initiative on carbon pricing; co-ordinating renewable energy development; launching industrial and infrastructure projects to facilitate the transition in the transport sector; collaborating on some aspects of integrated national plans for energy and climate; founding an initiative at the European level to fund the energy transition.
- Placing the fight against climate change at the heart of larger efforts to reform the European Union
A Franco-German alliance could have a strong knock-on effect within the European Union when it comes to fighting climate change and accelerating the energy transition. It could also put forth proposals for institutional reform such as creating the post of European High Commissioner for Climate, easing regulations on State Aid for urgent climate projects, and excluding investments in the energy transition (renewable energy, electrical systems, making buildings energy-efficient etc.) from the budget balance criteria of the monetary Union.
