Brussels, 09/10/2013 (Agence Europe) - The EU is on track to achieve the three 20s objective (20% reduction in greenhouse gases, 20% savings through energy efficiency and 20% renewable energy in the total energy mix) it set itself when, in 2009, it adopted its climate-energy legislative package. Progress, however, varies from one member state to another and no individual member state is on course to achieve all three targets. Nonetheless, the latest report published by the European Environment Agency (EEA) on Wednesday 9 October and the annual progress reports published by the European Commission the same day for the attention of the Parliament and the Council are relatively good news.
The EEA report, Trends and projections in EUROPE 2013, shows that, in 2012, the last year of the first Kyoto Protocol commitment period, the EU had reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 18% compared with the 1990 base-year level, and could exceed the target it set itself for 2020 as projections show that, by that date, the end of the Kyoto Protocol second commitment period, emissions will have fallen collectively by 21%. The report also says that in 2011 renewable energy contributed 13% to the energy mix.
Climate Action Commissioner Connie Hedegaard was encouraged: “The EU is clearly delivering on its Kyoto commitments. The EU has reduced its emissions significantly since 1990 while expanding its economy. This further demonstrates that climate policy can be implemented in a way that fosters jobs and growth. Our 20% reduction target for 2020 is also within reach thanks to our climate and energy legislation. And through additional policies, we're actually on track to overachieve our target”.
EU emissions levels have been on a downward trend since 2004. And while GDP increased by 45% between 1990 and 2011, the total emissions of the 28 member states in 2011 were 16.9% lower than in 1990 and in 2012 were down by around 18%. During 2012 EU emissions fell by about 1%. The EEA report also reveals that between 2008 and 2012, the EU15 reduced its emissions by 12.2%, far exceeding the collective commitment of an 8% reduction to which it signed up, and that most of the member states assigned a Kyoto target were on course to achieve their individual objectives. (AN/transl.fl)