Propósito Normar las contrataciones de personal, con el fin de establecer

Energy is not only a matter of supplies and environment, it is also a national security issue and one of long term competitiveness. Our energy consumption imposes excessive demands on renewable and non-renewable energy sources and the environment’s absorption capacity

while competition for resources causes economic, political and social tensions. For this reason - based on assessing and planning various alternative energy supply options in an integrated way, taking account of long term impacts as well - Hungary’s energy management regime must be transformed in a way as will enable reducing the emission of greenhouse gases and supplies the highest proportion of the demand for energy from renewable energy sources, preferably from local ones. In a longer run the use of fossil fuels and the proportion of imported energy should be minimised or - ideally - eliminated.

Actions relating to sustainable energy supply and consumption do not only improve the safety and security of energy supply, abate climate change and air pollution. Renewable energy generation involves smaller scale operations than conventional techniques, these operations can rely on local resources and conditions and consequently they will have a positive impact on local and regional development, alleviation of poverty, creation of high quality jobs and - through satisfying demand for energy locally - on security in the broader sense of the term. The use of geothermic energy reserves, solar energy and biomass for generating energy may also make a significant contribution to transforming the production structure, to maintaining farmers’ income generating capabilities and thereby to retaining rural jobs.

The most important fields of action – energy (EN)

(EN-1) Cutting energy consumption. Consumption of energy that is currently derived predominantly from fossil fuels must be reduced. The most important tasks in this aspect include the following:

- (a) reducing the energy intensity of production by cleaner production, prevention and technology change;

- (b) changing the economic structure by increasing the weight of less energy intensive sectors. This is affected by a variety of factors, including among other things the availability of natural and human resources;

- (c) improving energy efficiency by avoiding conversion losses. Instead of satisfying all energy demand with power from the grid, generated through multiple conversions and consequently at great losses, generating energy from local primary sources is a lot more efficient solution;

- (d) cutting household and community energy consumption by improved heat insulation and by operating more energy efficient machinery and equipment and by altering consumer behaviour in favour of goods and services requiring less energy.

(EN-2) Increasing the use of domestic non-fossil fuels. In the course of transforming and further developing the energy sector - besides increasing knock-on effects- adequate steps towards using renewable energy sources will also make a predominant contribution to regulating the emissions of greenhouse gases in a long term. Various additional environmental impacts must be fully taken into account in choosing and using renewable energy sources. The proportion of renewable energy sources must be increased, primarily in areas of use where there is no need for conversion (e.g. geothermal heating) and where there are large available capacities (geothermal energy generating systems, ground heat pumps, solar energy collectors, biomass utilisation etc.) The EU aims to increase the rate of renewable energy sources by 2020 to 20 % of the total energy consumption and Hungary must participate in this project in an adequate proportion and way, in view of domestic conditions and resources. (EN-3) Conditions and requisites of transforming and developing the energy system

reflected by energy prices and external environmental costs must also be increasingly taken into account. This is how the polluter pays principle can be put into practice, fostering the development of an energy saving attitude among consumers. At the same time the energy sector must be rendered capable of taking over power generated from renewable energy sources in terms of prices, technical facilities and operational safety.

(EN-4) Transport energy consumption must be reduced, to this end, preservation and improvement of the shares of more environmentally friendly transport modes must be ensured in the systems of passenger and freight transport by improving their quality and competitiveness. Energy efficient development and replacement of the vehicle stock must be achieved by regulation and by means of economic incentives.

(EN-5) Increasing the proportion renewable energy sources and replacement of fossil fuels

in transport must be encouraged (e.g. second generation biofuels, GTL fuels produced from

biogas, experimental hydrogen fuelled vehicles). The necessary regulatory background must be developed further, drawing on means of economic incentives (tax breaks and exemptions, subsidies, preferential loans) for promoting research and development and for developing the production and distribution of alternative fuels and particularly for the development of the vehicle stock itself. The EU aims to increase the share of bio-fuels to at least 10 % by 2020 in transport.

(EN-6) Research and development in international coordination and in cooperation with

energy sector partners. Transforming energy production and consumption takes lots of

technical development and innovation as well. These tasks should be carried out in international cooperation to enable the widest possible utilisation of the achievements. Enterprises operating in the energy sector should also be involved: on the one hand, changes pose challenges to them and they may also be major contributors to change. Sustainable development may be achieved only with the involvement of all stakeholders, through a collective planning process and this does not only apply to individuals and communities but also to economic actors.

(EN-7) Transforming customs and norms of construction. Unit energy requirement can be reduced by environmentally aware and energy saving design, transformation and upgrading of individual buildings - and their energy systems - and by improving the energy efficiency of heating systems.