Bulgaria has a historic opportunity to accelerate its energy transition and set a vision for climate neutrality by 2050 through the update of the National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP), which must outline the strategic framework for decision-making to facilitate investment in low-carbon technologies, improve energy security and increase energy efficiency. Currently, Bulgaria lacks a coherent and up-to-date energy strategy, and most key policy documents reveal no clear vision for long-term decarbonisation, while modelling assessments have been conducted under heavy political pressure and without transparency or justification for the elaboration of scenarios.
These are some of the main topics discussed during the round table At the Finish Line: Update of the National Energy and Climate Plan, organized by the Center for the Study of Democracy and BlueLink Foundation on June 21, 2024 in Sofia.
CSD experts presented their latest analysis, outligning three possible trajectories for climate neutrality in five key economic sectors: energy, buildings, transport, industry, agriculture and land use. Using scenario modelling, based on a different set of assumptions and policy priorities, they concluded that a full decarbonisation pathway would depend both on structural changes in individual and collective behaviour and on the massive deployment of cutting-edge low- carbon technology.
CSD experts were joined by Apostol Dyankov, Head of Climate Policy Coordination, Ministry of Environment and Water, Maria Nevitala-Rey, Climate and Energy Policy Analyst, Reform Institute - Poland, Assya Dobrudzhalieva, Project Manager, Habitat Bulgaria, Polina Slavcheva, Project Manager, BlueLink Foundation, Dragomir Tsanev, Executive Director of Energy Efficiency Center EnEffect and Kristian Dimitrov, Renewable Energy Campaigner, Greenpeace Bulgaria.
Maria Nevitala-Rey questioned the lack of ambition of the NECPs in the region, while Asya Dobrudzhalieva stressed the lack of a holistic view of the Bulgarian strategic document and the need for integrated policies that consider all impacts and focus on long-term goals. Polina Slavcheva focused on climate rights and the involvement of citizens in decision-making. Dragomir Tsanev highlighted the need for synergy between specific thematic priorities and available financial instruments, while Kristian Dimitrov emphasised that the strategy lacks specific targets for the promotion of energy communities and for decentralized electricity production.
Panelists agreed that Bulgaria should also take ambitious steps to increase energy efficiency, such as promoting a change in citizens' energy habits, introducing mechanisms for effective management of energy consumption in households and businesses, and democratising electricity production through more active citizen participation in the energy system. They stressed that it is essential to firmly commit to coal phaseout, electricity market liberalisation and overhauling the renewable energy regulatory framework to unlock billions of euros in private investment and a similar amount of EU funds. To achieve a truly green economic transformation, this requires significant political will to overcome entrenched fossil fuel-based economic interests and simultaneous policy actions on a number of interrelated issues as to ensure energy security and the rapid deployment of cutting-edge low-carbon solutions.