Parliament pans Commission plan to drop national renewable energy targets after 2020 | WPN World People News

The European Parliament has weighed in on the debate on EU 2030 climate and energy policies and voted against the Commission’s proposal to drop binding 2030 renewable energy targets for EU member states. On 22 January, as part of its 2030 energy plan, the European Commission supported a binding renewable energy target at EU level but proposed that it should no longer be binding at national level.

hotly debated.

Greenpeace EU energy policy adviser Frederic Thoma said “Europe cannot lead on clean energy development without clear enforceable targets for renewables and efficiency. With its call for binding targets, the parliament has drawn a line in the sand to give investors the certainty they need. Now EU governments have to raise the bar to secure a clean energy future for Europe.”

The parliament called “on the Commission and the Member States to set a binding EU 2030 target of producing at least 30 per cent of total final energy consumption from renewable energy sources; stresses that such a target should be implemented by means of individual national targets taking into account the individual situation and potential of each Member State”.

While the European Parliament vote is not binding, it sends a strong signal to EU governments ahead of ministerial meetings on 3 and 4 March and a heads of government summit on 20-21 March, where EU 2030 climate and energy targets will be hotly debated.

Greenpeace calls on EU governments to approve a set of three binding 2030 climate and energy targets in advance of a leaders’ summit hosted by UN secretary-general Ban-Ki Moon in September 2014. Greenpeace supports a minimum 55 per cent cut in domestic carbon emissions, an increase to a 45 percent share of renewable energy and 40 percent energy savings.

Source: Greenpeace EU Unit