Separate targets for renewables and emissions still divide opinion as green paper sets out aims for Europe's climate policy
The European commission has fired the starting gun on three months of intense lobbying that will help decide 2030 targets for climate change, carbon emissions and energy.
Publishing a long-awaited green paper on climate and energy, commissioners on Wednesday set out their aims of forging new targets and policies for Europe that will apply from 2020, when the current set of targets – an emissions cut of 20% and 20% of energy to come from renewable sources – expire.
But there is little agreement yet on what form any 2030 targets should take, and by opening a consultation from now until 2 July, the EC is inviting member states, businesses, green campaigners and other groups to make their views known. The results of the consultation will feed into the EC's deliberations, and draft proposals are expected to be drawn up by the end of the year, to be put before the European parliament.
The debate is likely to be heated, as these proposals will set out the shape of EU energy and climate policy for decades to come, and are taking place at a crucial time, when many member states are in deep recession, the Eurozone is in repeated crises, and there are elections looming in Germany and – next year – for the EU.
Current targets prescribe not just emissions cuts for each member state but what each must do to contribute to the separate renewable energy target. But some member states – including the UK – want to scrap the renewables target after 2020, arguing that an emissions target alone is enough.
That has dismayed the renewable energy industry, who say that without a firm target the progress made on renewables may be lost.
Business groups are also concerned about the price of energy in the EU, with some arguing that it is too high because of green policies, which is allowing overseas rivals to undercut EU companies.
Some want to see more progress on international climate negotiations under the United Nations before the EU makes its commitments, but this will be hard to achieve as the UN negotiations are not expected to bear fruit until 2015, when a new global treaty is expected to be signed, to come into force from 2020.
Rhian Kelly, CBI director for business environment policy, said: "It's critical to get political agreement on a 2030 EU emissions target by the end of next year, to encourage the levels of investment that we need in low-carbon technology. Any target must be part of a coherent policy framework that also seeks to minimise carbon leakage, so that all businesses can play their part."
Ruth Davis of Greenpeace UK said the British government should play a stronger role. "Ambitious climate and energy policies in Europe are vital for British interests. Strong, long-term goals for cutting carbon and deploying renewable energy are essential to provide a level playing field for British business, and to build new markets for British green goods and services – which provided a third of all growth in our economy in 2011-12. David Cameron now needs to roll up his sleeves, get over to Brussels, and fight for British green jobs."
The European Wind Energy Association was also anxious to see new renewables targets as well as an emissions goal. "Member states must now join the European parliament and the Energy and Climate Action commissioners in support of a 2030 renewable energy target, together with a greenhouse gas target. This would allow Europe to replace fossil fuel imports with a thriving European wind energy industry generating large amounts of zero-emissions renewable power and technology exports," said Justin Wilkes, director of policy at the trade body. Reported by guardian.co.uk 6 hours ago.
The European commission has fired the starting gun on three months of intense lobbying that will help decide 2030 targets for climate change, carbon emissions and energy.
Publishing a long-awaited green paper on climate and energy, commissioners on Wednesday set out their aims of forging new targets and policies for Europe that will apply from 2020, when the current set of targets – an emissions cut of 20% and 20% of energy to come from renewable sources – expire.
But there is little agreement yet on what form any 2030 targets should take, and by opening a consultation from now until 2 July, the EC is inviting member states, businesses, green campaigners and other groups to make their views known. The results of the consultation will feed into the EC's deliberations, and draft proposals are expected to be drawn up by the end of the year, to be put before the European parliament.
The debate is likely to be heated, as these proposals will set out the shape of EU energy and climate policy for decades to come, and are taking place at a crucial time, when many member states are in deep recession, the Eurozone is in repeated crises, and there are elections looming in Germany and – next year – for the EU.
Current targets prescribe not just emissions cuts for each member state but what each must do to contribute to the separate renewable energy target. But some member states – including the UK – want to scrap the renewables target after 2020, arguing that an emissions target alone is enough.
That has dismayed the renewable energy industry, who say that without a firm target the progress made on renewables may be lost.
Business groups are also concerned about the price of energy in the EU, with some arguing that it is too high because of green policies, which is allowing overseas rivals to undercut EU companies.
Some want to see more progress on international climate negotiations under the United Nations before the EU makes its commitments, but this will be hard to achieve as the UN negotiations are not expected to bear fruit until 2015, when a new global treaty is expected to be signed, to come into force from 2020.
Rhian Kelly, CBI director for business environment policy, said: "It's critical to get political agreement on a 2030 EU emissions target by the end of next year, to encourage the levels of investment that we need in low-carbon technology. Any target must be part of a coherent policy framework that also seeks to minimise carbon leakage, so that all businesses can play their part."
Ruth Davis of Greenpeace UK said the British government should play a stronger role. "Ambitious climate and energy policies in Europe are vital for British interests. Strong, long-term goals for cutting carbon and deploying renewable energy are essential to provide a level playing field for British business, and to build new markets for British green goods and services – which provided a third of all growth in our economy in 2011-12. David Cameron now needs to roll up his sleeves, get over to Brussels, and fight for British green jobs."
The European Wind Energy Association was also anxious to see new renewables targets as well as an emissions goal. "Member states must now join the European parliament and the Energy and Climate Action commissioners in support of a 2030 renewable energy target, together with a greenhouse gas target. This would allow Europe to replace fossil fuel imports with a thriving European wind energy industry generating large amounts of zero-emissions renewable power and technology exports," said Justin Wilkes, director of policy at the trade body. Reported by guardian.co.uk 6 hours ago.