Geothermal energy, which is energy sourced from the Earth’s heat, has long been known to man and exploited by him. Its use goes all the way back to antiquity. It is now used by 90 countries, in 24 of them for electricity generation. In certain cases it accounts for a fairly substantial – between 15% and 22% – proportion of all the electricity produced. Geothermal energy is sustainable and non-polluting and also has the advantage of being widely available and not dependent on climatic conditions. The gradual depletion of reserves of fossil fuels and efforts to combat climate change make geothermal energy a potentially interesting method of meeting our energy needs. It is also likely to be more cost-effective than other sources of renewable energy. However, the exploitation of geothermal energy still suffers from certain legislative and regulatory, and financial and economic, weaknesses. The Parliamentary Assembly therefore recommends the use of geothermal energy as a means of combating climate change and stresses that in order to achieve this objective local elected representatives and political decision makers must take the necessary steps to inform the general public and, above all, potential investors, of its benefits. It also calls for strategic research programmes, financing and insurance schemes and adequate training.