The Use of Renewable Energy Sources and Environmental Degradation in EU Countries

Renewable energy sources play a crucial role in sustainable development strategies, addressing environmental protection, energy security, economic growth, and enhancing quality of life. Renewable energy sources are significantly less damaging to the environment compared to traditional energy sources, as they help lower greenhouse gas emissions, decrease air and water pollution, and consequently, limit environmental degradation. The study helped formulate the following research goals: assessment of changes in the use of renewable energy sources and the degree of environmental degradation in the European Union countries, and comparison of the spatial differentiation of the EU countries in terms of the use of renewable energy sources and the degree of environmental degradation, taking into account both indicated criteria. The survey covers the years 2015, 2019, and 2021. The article highlights the important role of analytical methods in the analysis of renewable energy consumption and its impact on the environment. The Self-Organizing Map was used for grouping the European Union countries based on renewable energy sources’ levels and environmental degradation, allowing the identification of patterns and clusters. The results showed that the Scandinavian countries are leading the way in renewable energy sources and low environmental degradation, while the Eastern European countries are struggling, with a low share of renewable energy sources and high degradation.