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The model for European development after the Second World War was based on the use of cheap energy, little consideration being given to environmental questions. This model enabled unparalleled economic development in the post-war period between 1945 and 1973, known in France as the “Trente Glorieuses” [the thirty glorious (years)].
The two oil crises, in 1973 and then in 1979, raised doubts about that model. The West realised the extent of its all-pervasive dependence on oil. Economic growth slowed considerably.
Thirty years later, a new scenario of crisis is emerging: an oil crisis, with the price of a barrel settling around US$ 140; an environmental crisis as well, with the threat of climate change. In this context, what is the energy situation in the European Union? |