We both agreed to enhance, increase cooperation in various fields with the specific agenda and specific priority that we wish to enhance -- that is in the area of trade and investment, in the area of education, energy, in the area of climate change and the environment, in the area of security and democracy and also civil society.

WHITEHOUSE: President Obama and President Yudhoyono Press Availability | The White House

Ms Hyslop highlighted four priority areas in the action plan for Scotland in the EU: energy and climate change, research and creativity, the marine environment and justice.

BBC: EU priorities 2012 debate

The nature of the cuts became clear this week with an announcement from the Greek Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change (YPEKA) that feed-in tariff rates would be reduced by 40 percent for those projects installed after February 1, 2013 and before January 31st, 2014.

FORBES: What Happened To Greece's Solar Surge?

It found that the main drivers for countries to deploy renewable energy are to improve energy security, encourage economic development, and to protect the climate and the environment from the impacts of fossil fuel use.

FORBES: International Energy Agency (Finally) Acknowledges Ascent of Renewable Energy Market