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1990
Journal Article
Titel
The internal energy market. The new coalition against energy efficiency and environmental concerns?
Abstract
With the implementation of an internal European market, most governments and businesses in the member countries of the European Community hope to gain economic advantages because the internal market will be better integrated than today and free from barriers to trade. Considerable gross benefits, such as lower energy prices, are expected with the implementation of the internal energy market. However, lower energy prices are very apt to have negative effects, including: 1. higher energy consumption, 2. lower energy efficiency, 3. higher environmental pollution, and 4. greater external effects, such as increased road and air transportation and increased climate-relevant emissions. Because of the growing environmental threats, the implementation of the internal market must be accompanied by stringent harmonization of environmental policies and by a changed energy policy toward energy conservation that emphasizes higher energy efficiency and renewable energies.