Fostering Sustainable Development: Green Energy Policy in the European Union and the United States

Abstract

Climate and environmental pollution have a long-term effect on world economics. Evidence has shown that climatic events have had drastic impacts since pre-industrial times. Industrialization has played a key role in pollution-based emissions. Most industrialized countries come from the developed world. Mass industrial and economic development has burdened less developed countries by exposing them to harmful methods of emission development. This chapter examines the need for developed countries to reverse harmful environmental emissions by creating green energy-based policies that, in effect, reduce greenhouse gases and environmental pollution. A focalized breakdown of the European Union and the United States, i.e., two parties that produce substantial amounts of polluting emissions, is assessed by looking at effective green energy policy to foster stronger sustainable development and ecologically friendly human settlements for the timeframe 2005–2011. This historical-environmental perspective is valuable to understand where current green deal policy originates from and recognize the political and economic elements policy-makers should consider for future policy development.