Overcrowded Metropolises – Empty Provinces?
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34 institut der regionen europas oct 2014 institute of the regions of europe newsregion 10th Conference of European Regions and Cities in Vienna Overcrowded Metropolises – Empty Provinces? The core question of how to counteract the rural exodus was discussed by decision-makers from politics and economy. The objective was to find practical solutions. How are things done elswhere, how can know-how be properly be applied in different circumstances? OPINION on current UN Initiative issue „Sustainable Ukraine will have to become a federation – or risk disappearing Energy for All“ by Franz Schausberger night cannot and will not be tolerated. rights, plurality and a market Nevertheless, we should not turn a blind economy may well be vitally Present-day centralist Ukraine will eye to the fact that the „west“ has also important for Europe, but in a either have to become a federation or made crucial mistakes: as a result of its country with an average month- else risk being torn apart by its feuding completely flawed neighbourhood policy ly income of EUR 190 - with huge Kandeh K. Yumkella factions. with Ukraine, the European Union - alas, regional variations - there are bound to be other priorities. United Nations Under- Following the first few years of the transi- once again playing second fiddle to the Secretary-General, Special United States - has played a decisive role Russia‘s counter-offer of eco- tion process in Ukraine, the country‘s top nomic aid worth EUR 10 billion Representative of the Secretary- priority must be to replace the centralist in unleashing the greatest international General and Chief Executive crisis the European continent has seen and cut-price Russian gas was state presidential system with a demo- always going to outdo the Euro- Officer Sustainable Energy for cratic federal one. Eastern Europe expert since the war in the Balkans. The reasons All( SE4All) lie in failure on the part of US and EU fo- pean proposal. Even though the Ernst Piehl already discussed this back in new Ukrainian government has 2004 in his book „The European Union‘s reign policy to understand the history of Ukraine. now signed the association ag- open flank“. At that time the „Orange Re- reement, the country will not be With the fervour of missionaries deter- Energy is a core interest of all countries because it enables job creation, econo- volution“ candidate, Victor Yushchenko, a part of Europe for a very long mined to take over as the „standard-bear- mic development and environment protection. had just been elected as the new President time to come. In September 2011 the Sustainable Energy for All initiative was launched by of Ukraine, despite brutal opposition, in- ers of European values“ in all corners of the Given that Russia views Nato‘s UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon with the vision to show how governments, cluding from Russia. continent and with all possible speed, the expansion eastwards as a bre- business and civil society, working in partnership can make sustainable ener- EU lost the ability to recognise national Today, Ukraine has not made any progress ach of contract on the part of gy for all a reality by 2030. - quite the reverse. The Orange Revolution, sensitivities, established power structures and long-standing features of traditional the West, it hardly equates to the Today we face two urgent and interconnected challenges related to energy, which raised so many hopes and expecta- ideal image of a „peace project“ firstly, energy access and secondly, waste and pollution. tions, collapsed in complete disarray. The culture and identity, let alone incorporate them into its strategies. - as the EU would like to see it - if Nearly one person in five on the planet still lacks access to electricity. More petty squabbles of its leaders, Victor Yush- such an important neighbour as The EU has failed to recognise that it is not The Majdan in Kiev than twice that number rely on wood, coal, charcoal or animal waste for coo- chenko and Julia Timoshenko, created Russia is jealously excluded from enough to negotiate with the central po- king and heating. This is a major barrier to eradicating poverty and building friction and, at a time when Russia was enlargement activities that en- litical elite in Ukraine. The regional elites shared prosperity. nowhere near as strong as it is now, they croach on what has historically (as is the case in the Donetsk area) and Where modern energy services are plentiful, the problem is different – waste failed to press ahead with the process of been its sphere of influence. As a the economic power groups and oligarchs and pollution. Emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases from moving towards Europe and carrying out convinced European, it is depressing to see city of Kiev, which has special status. 78% (the „stagnarchs“, who are seeking to pro- fossil fuels are contributing to changes in the Earth’s climate that are causing reforms that would bring peace to the di- that instead having a calming effect, this of the population is Ukrainian and 17% tect their own interests by obstructing any widespread harm to lives, communities, infrastructure, institutions and bud- vided nation. This was the major downfall supposedly peaceful community is actual- Russian. Ukrainians make up the majority of the pro-Europeans in Ukraine. moves towards a market economy and gets. The key to both challenges is to provide sustainable energy for all – ener“- ly stoking the tensions with what can only in all the oblasts, although the Russians a state based on the rule of law) exercise gy that is accessible, cleaner and more efficient. Anyone who, like myself, paid frequent be described as a series of major faux pas have a sizeable minority (around 38%) in such far-reaching influence that the deci- visits to western Ukraine at that time will on the part of Europe‘s peace diplomats. the oblasts of Lugansk and Donetsk, the Sustainable energy is about new opportunities. It enables businesses to grow, sion-making power of political authorities have observed that people there had no Today, people in Ukraine are being killed bastions of the separatist movement. The generates jobs, and creates new markets. Therefore, the Sustainable Energy - including the deposed President Yanu- idea of what was going on in the east of needlessly, and mutual threats of tougher oblasts are merely administrative districts for All initiative is a multi-stakeholder partnership between governments, the kovych - is extremely limited unless they private sector, and civil society. It has three interlinked global targets to be the country or of what was in the minds of sanctions are never going to solve the pro- of the central government, with governors the Russian population. No one ever went themselves have links to these groups. achieved by 2030 including ensuring universal access to modern energy ser- blem. nominated by the president. Obviously no to that part of the country, with the excep- The fact that the association agreement vices, doubling the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency, and dou- Let us go back to the proposal for a feder- government, no matter what its colour, was not signed at the Vilnius Summit in tion of Crimea, which was seen as a cheap al Ukraine mentioned at the beginning. will readily concede this power. bling the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix. November 2013 hardly came as a surpri- domestic seaside holiday destination. The idea will meet with scepticism from Constitutional reform will have to lead to These three objectives, each one important in its own right, reinforce each se. Although Ukraine had been involved Sadly, it would seem that an analysis of the US and the EU, although President the federalisation of this country, with its other in important ways. For example, affordable renewable energy technolo- in the European Neighbourhood Policy the current situation in Ukraine leaves Poroshenko‘s peace plan already propo- 46 million inhabitants, possibly in several gies bring modern energy services to rural communities where extension of since 2003, nothing tangible had been people with only two options: either you ses decentralisation as a first step. One stages. The German or Austrian models the conventional power grid is prohibitively expensive and impractical. Bol- achieved. The EU was quite happy that the are a „Putin sympathiser“ or you are a thing is clear: if the Russian population in might be suitable examples. The EU could stering energy efficiency can provide substantial cost savings to governments, pro-European camp had political power „supporter of the fascists in Kiev“. This just the east is to be reconciled and united with play a useful advisory role here. The popu- businesses and households, while freeing up power for other more productive from 2004, oblivious that it was treading goes to show how urgent it now is to ad- the general government, trust must be lation of a region should at least be able uses. Achieving the three objectives together will maximize development be- on thin, treacherous ice, and spared not a opt a nuanced approach. built up and their cultural, linguistic and to elect its own regional parliamentary nefits for cities and provinces. thought for the eastern part of the coun- economic identity and self-government assembly and thereby indirectly have a The IRE´s valuable and important work to find sustainable solutions for issues Obviously, there can be no justification try. What sheer naivety! The negotiations within the country guaranteed. This is the say in the choice of regional government whatsoever for Russia‘s occupation of surrounding the association agreement of the subnational level will also bring benefits to the global level.