Brussels, 27/03/2013 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 27 March, with the adoption of its Green Paper on a 2030 framework for climate and energy policies, the European Commission launched a public consultation to steer debate on the future action framework for an integrated energy/climate policy (see EUROPE 10815). Consultation is open to all parties interested - industry, member states and European institutions - until 2 July. Contributions will be analysed this autumn, allowing the Commission to make legislative proposals by the end of the year pertaining to policies in the field of climate and energy by 2030. In particular, this will cover binding objectives for renewable energies and relate to a sharing of the burden between member states. As European elections are due to be held, this means a new Parliament will examine the proposals early 2014, before proposals are adopted in 2015.
All parties interested that so wish are invited to answer the following questions: - What are the main lessons learned from the existing framework? What type, nature and level of climate and energy targets should be set for 2030? How can coherence between different policy instruments be attained? How can the energy system best contribute to EU competitiveness? And how can member states' different capacities to act be taken into account?
Addressing the press on the thrust of the consultation, European Energy Commissioner Günther Oettinger said it was time to look beyond 2020 as, although they were well on track to attaining the objectives fixed (the three 20s of the 2008 energy/climate package), energy policy requires a longer-term approach. He said that no sector other than energy depends so much on long-term investment - that 2020 was “yesterday”, while 2030 is “tomorrow”. “We need to define our climate and energy policy framework for 2030 as soon as possible to ensure proper investment that will give us sustainable growth, affordable competitive energy prices and greater energy security. The new framework must take into account the consequences of the economic crisis, but it must also be ambitious enough to meet the necessary long-term goal of cutting emissions 80-95% by 2050”, Oettinger said.
When it comes to energy efficiency, time is needed to see how the directive is transposed, the commissioner conceded, saying he was prepared to consider a binding target once more is known about transposition of the directive and the impact this has.
Connie Hedegaard, Commissioner for Climate Action, pointed out that one year ago she had called for goals to be set for 2030 but that voices were raised in opposition, speaking of an economic crisis. She went on to say that the Green Paper clearly explains why it is important to fix those goals now, despite the difficulties. Europe's dependence on imports of fossil fuels grows with every passing year, and the energy bill to be met by Europeans grows too. That, she said, is not good for the climate, for the economy or for competitiveness. 2015 was the objective set for concluding an international climate agreement, she said, adding that a decision on targets must be taken before 2015. It would be a mistake, Hedegaard said, to just wait and then arrive at talks empty-handed. The growth in the share of renewables in primary energy consumption and the many initiatives taken to increase energy efficiency have not been a burden and the green economy has made a clear contribution in terms of job creation, she noted, inviting the EU not to fall behind in the race for marketing innovative products that have high energy efficiency potential.
The Greens/EFA Group at the Parliament consider the Commission is very lacking in ambition. Bas Eickhout (Netherlands) asserts that, despite the various scenarios showing that the EU is able to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by over 50% by 2030 with ambitious policies on energy efficiency and renewables, the Commission suggests a reduction of only 40%. That should be reviewed upward, he states. Jannick Jadot (France) hammers the point home saying that the adequacy of the three pillars (objectives of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, energy efficiency and renewable energies) is based on synergies that must be strengthened. He said they call for a 45% objective of renewable energies for 2030.
“The Coalition for Energy Savings” considers and bemoans the fact that the European Commission has neglected the importance of an energy efficiency objective for competitiveness. Stefan Scheuer, the coalition's secretary general, said they trust that the public consultation will allow a binding energy efficiency objective to be set for 2030, so that it is at the heart of an integrated climate and energy policy for tackling the challenges of competitiveness. The European Partnership for Energy and Environment (EPEE), which represents the refrigeration, air-conditioning and heat pump industry in Europe, welcomes the Green Paper as a first step in the right direction and underlines that “only a truly holistic approach combining climate, energy efficiency and renewable energy policies can help Europe achieve its objectives. (…) The 2030 policy should unleash the full potential of technologies that contribute on all these fronts, such as heat pumps”. (AN/transl.jl)