MEPs Call for Binding Target of 30 Pct Renewables by 2030

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) yesterday called for different renewable energy and energy efficiency targets than the European Commission proposed. They criticized the Commission’s recent energy proposals as short-sighted and unambitious.

MEPs called for a 40% cut in CO2 emissions, a 30% target for renewable energy and a 40% target for energy efficiency by 2030, under the EU’s new long-term climate-change policy.

These targets should be binding, MEPs say, and implemented through individual national targets, taking account of each member state’s situation and potential.

The Commission tabled proposals on 22 January setting less ambitious targets, which were met with scepticism from MEPs, who express their deep concern about some of the proposals.

For MEPs, the Commission communication is short-sighted and unambitious on a number of levels, specifically as regards the lack of national targets for renewable energy and of any meaningful new action to incentivise energy efficiency, they say.

“The price of energy seriously affects companies, industry and, more specifically, our citizens. If we want to reduce our energy imports we have to produce more in Europe, by making better and more efficient use of our resources,” said the co-rapporteur for the environment committee, Anne Delvaux (EPP, BE).

“If we have a broad energy mix with greater energy efficiency, this is the best option to reduce to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, to encourage new technologies and innovation, create jobs, and change our economies into greener economies. This is why we need three binding objectives,” she added.

“This result is not satisfactory. We are promising ourselves, Europeans and European industry, that this new climate policy would be realistic, flexible and cost- efficient. This are very good assumptions. However, if we double the emission reduction target after 2020, it is not realistic. It is a road to reduce the competitiveness of European industry,” said Konrad Szymański (ECR, PL), co-rapporteur from the industry committee, who withdrew his name from the report that was adopted.

“Adopting these objectives before the 2015 Paris talks is a mistake. We should not show all our cards today before our partners say what they mean. Binding objectives on renewables and energy efficiency is not a flexible arrangement. We know well that member states and individual sectors have different capacities,” he added.

Press release, February 6, 2014; Image: EWEA