THE CONNECTION BETWEEN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND ENERGY CONSUMPTION IN THE EU, HUNGARY AND LITHUANIA
THE CONNECTION BETWEEN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND ENERGY CONSUMPTION IN THE EU, HUNGARY AND LITHUANIA

Summary/Abstract: Since the industrial revolution with the increase of economic-, industrial- and agricultural production the pollution of the environment was increased not only in the air, but also in the natural waters and soils. As a result of the technological development and population increase the land use has changed. At the same time with the decreasing biodiversity the size of the area covered by forests has considerably decreased. Moreover, due to the economic development the demand on natural resources is getting higher and higher.As the managing of ecological and economic problems can be realized by international collaboration only, several multilateral agreements have come into force to manage the connection between the energy-, economy-, environment- and climate policy to insure sustainable development.In the interest of sustainable development by the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol 140 countries undertook to decrease and limit the emission in 1997. The improvement of energy efficiency, the protection of sustainable agricultural systems, the development of renewable energy sources as well as harmonizing the national policies were included among the suggested methods to combat global warming.According to the Kyoto Protocol, ratified in 1997, the representatives of developed countries had committed themselves to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 5 per cent below the 1990 level in the period 2008-2012. Taking into consideration the sustainability, the EU wants to ensure a 20% measure in its new energy strategy concerning three areas of energy utilisation. On the one hand, it is necessary to reduce the greenhouse gas emission by at least 20%, on the other hand the energy efficiency has to increase by 20% and thirdly, the proportion of renewable energy sources has to increase to 20% in the total energy consumption from the 1990 level till 2020.The study focuses on the situation and changes of the energy market of Hungary and Lithuania among the states of the European Union with special emphases on the distribution and change of energy utilization in the European Union and the member states. As the sustainable growth is not separate from the change of climate- and energy policy that is why the article has special attention to the sustainable development and the role of renewable energy resources as key statistical indicators.

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