The future of energy in the European Union: balancing renewable growth with globalization and digitalization

In a policy context established by the European Union’s 2050 net-zero aim, we explore the relevance of low-carbon and alternative renewable energy sources to carbon dioxide emissions in EU-27 countries. Renewable energy, particularly hydro and wind, reduces CO2 emissions, making it the best source for decarbonization. Globalization and Internet use, by contrast, raise emissions, posing a significant challenge for the EU-27. The transformation of the EU-27 countries’ energy mix is a complex endeavour due to the diversity of their energy systems and economic development levels, but we see three fundamental directions for this happening: continuing the progress towards a low-carbon society while also considering climate risk analysis; accelerating the energy transition by taking collective and bold action to meet the established goals; and implementing effective energy policies in the deployment of renewable energy.