Brown, Jackson2024-12-162024-12-162024-12-14https://hdl.handle.net/11299/268706This research paper explores disparities in renewable energy adoption under EU-wide policies. It includes a detailed analysis of policy frameworks, energy metrics, and cultural factors across 26 pages. The research was conducted as part of the International Undergraduate Research program at the University of Montpellier in Fall 2024, under the guidance of Professor Françoise Pierrot. This paper offers insights into renewable energy strategies and their implications for EU climate goals.This research explores the comparative effectiveness of renewable energy adoption in France and Sweden, focusing on why these two European Union (EU) member states, despite operating under similar EU-wide incentive programs such as the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) and the European Green Deal, have achieved vastly different outcomes. Updated quantitative data reveal that Sweden’s share of renewable energy increased from 53.4% to 66% between 2017 and 2022, still far outpacing France, who grew from 15.8% to 20.3% (Eurostat, n.d.). While Sweden is the top European Union performer by a wide margin, France finds itself struggling. Coming in as the 15th ranked EU country when measured in share of renewable energy, France is some 3% below the EU average. They are also just one of four countries to miss their 2020 renewable energies target in 2022 ("Renewable Energy in the European Union," n.d.). Sweden’s success stems from long-term policy consistency, high carbon taxes, and effective market-based mechanisms like the green certificate system (International Energy Agency, 2021; Andersson, 2019; Swedish Energy Agency, 2020). Meanwhile, France’s reliance on nuclear energy and complex permitting processes has slowed renewable energy adoption (Bergek & Berggren, 2014; World Bank Group, 2020).en-USRenewable EnergyEuropean Union PolicyScholarly Text or Essay