We are pleased to host Visiting Scholar John Szabo through the SDGs@UofT and Institute for Environment, Conservation, and Sustainability (IECS) joint Visiting Scholars Program at the University of Toronto.
John's lecture will examine how the European Union has shifted toward reducing regulatory barriers to expand renewable energy deployment. While early efforts were driven mainly by climate goals, recent geopolitical events, such as Russia’s war on Ukraine, have accelerated this push by highlighting the need for energy security and independence.
The EU’s “permitting turn” involves streamlining approval processes and designating renewable energy projects as a priority public interest, supported by policies like REPowerEU and RED III. Although these changes promote market expansion and help meet low-carbon energy goals, they also raise concerns about weakening environmental and social protections in the process.
Date: Thursday, May 21st, 2026
Time: 1:00 - 2:00 PM
Location: University College
15 King's College Cir, Toronto, ON M5S 3H7
UC 177 (Room 177)
Event Type: Public Lecture
Event Description
The European Union has led an endeavour to reduce the administrative barriers impeding the uptake of renewable energy sources (RES) since the late-1990s. Intervention was largely driven by climate considerations, but recent geopolitical turmoil—including Russia’s war on Ukraine and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz—have shifted emphasis to supply security and competitiveness-driven intervention and accelerated the process as well. The bloc has undertaken a ‘permitting turn’, as a part of which leaders look to roll back the ‘red tape’ impeding RES markets. Change has become more pertinent to a broadening set of interests, as fossil fuel import dependence exposed risks stemming from deeply entrenched practices. The Commission introduced measures as a part of REPowerEU (2022), RED III (2023), and AccelerateEU (2026), among others, that have prompted action to remove impediments to market expansion ranging from the identification of renewable acceleration areas to establishing renewables energy sources as objects of overriding public interest. On the face of it, these reflect neoliberalism’s market expansionary dynamics, but this is intertwined with environmental politics driven action to meet energy demand in a low carbon manner and the attempt to ensure energy autonomy. However, these measures carry risks as environmental and social guardrails to capital’s expansion are uprooted. The presentation will thus explore how the EU has approached deregulation in relation to its energy transition and how recent geopolitical events have impacted policy.