The World in 2030

176 The World in 2030
But eastern Europe remains heavily dependent on
fossil fuels, causing friction between older and newer
EU members as the bloc pushes an ambitious plan to
boost its reliance on green energy.
About 94 per cent of the electricity for coal-rich Poland
comes from coal-fired plants, a major source of the carbon
emissions that contribute to global warming.
But in Poland, for example, leaders are disinclined to
cut coal use, which helps limit dependence on Russian
oil and gas. And with a 15 per cent unemployment
rate — the EU’s highest — cutting jobs in an
industry that employs roughly 200,000 people could
be political suicide. 337
And in this incomplete and somewhat eclectic glance at
attitudes and energy policies around the world it is worth
noting that Denmark produces more than 20 per cent of its
energy from wind sources today. By 2025 that figure will be
more than 50 per cent. The UK produces 3 per cent of its
power from wind today and the government’s announced
targets stipulate that will be 10 per cent by 2010 and 15 per
cent by 2015. 338
In Germany renewable energies made up 4.6 per cent
of total primary energy supply in 2005, and the share of
renewable energies in the total gross electricity consumption
rose to 10.2 per cent. And in July 2007 German environment
minister Sigmar Gabriel announced that by 2030 Germany
intends to source 45 per cent of its energy requirements from
renewable sources. 339