Today, the new European identity must be sought in the ability of the Union to deal with the environmental challenge.
The European crisis, from many standing points, is an identity crisis: immigration, economical or financial problems and populisms have put to test a model that has not been able to generate affection from the citizens of the Member States and that struggles to react in an efficient manner to unforeseen events.
The phenomenon of the European identity crisis has been studied from every angle by political analysts, jurists, economists, philosophers, cartoonists and comedians.
In order to restore reputation and credibility, currently, the Green Deal represents for the European Union (which should be, in the thesis, the Union of the European people) an occasion not to be missed: the protection of the environment is linked to the economic growth, to social development, to the regeneration of urban spaces, innovation, suburbs enhancement, woodland protection, to partnership.
What all of this has to do with the European regulation on energy efficiency?
A lot, because the analysis of the European regulation and of the national implementation regulation – which we have carried out in order to intervene to the debate organized by the Observatory – demonstrates that energy efficiency and similar tools are only the means to achieve a wider scope, that is a “civilisation” scope: make Europe a better place to live in, in terms of environment, work, social justice, aptitude toward other and nature.
And how do we achieve this result?
Definitely not by isolating the public sector from the private one, definitely not by stiffening the legislation and slowing down the administration; not with obsolete educational programme, not by trivialising or making emotional the issues that must be examined, dealt with and solved with scientific and realistic schemes and structures.