Brussels, 10/07/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 10 July, MEP Peter Liese (EPP, Germany) said that the European Union had everything to gain from setting a binding and ambitious energy efficiency target for 2030 of at least 35%, because that would be good for the climate, good for energy independence from Russia and would provide the best cost efficiency.
Recently re-elected as EPP spokesman and coordinator on the European Parliament's environment committee, Liese was explaining to a handful of reporters in Brussels that the missing link in the EU's action plan for energy and the climate for 2030 was energy efficiency. The plan is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% and for this to be binding, and to have at least 27% of power provided from renewable sources. A stability reserve will be built up for the EU's carbon-trading scheme, ETS. Liese's words were also aimed at the European Commission, whose proposed revision of the energy efficiency directive and the new strategy for 2020 to 2030 will be published on 23 July at the final meeting of the current European Commission.
Liese said that energy efficiency is the cheapest way to reduce both greenhouse gas emissions and energy dependence because a euro invested in energy savings is far more profitable than a euro invested in developing renewable energy, building nuclear power plants or CCS technology (carbon capture and storage). He pointed out that buildings have the greatest potential for energy saving.
When one considers that the EU spends more than a billion euros a day on imported gas and oil, mainly from Russia, and that one of the reasons for the economic crisis is that so much is being spent on fossil fuel imports, Liese said the benefits of energy saving to the economy are obvious.
Liese said that of the key United Nations climate conference in Paris (COP 21) in December 2015, everyone says it is realistic to believe that a global deal can be achieved, which might not be perfect but would at least cover everyone now that the United States has unveiled an ambitious greenhouse gas emissions plan for power stations (-17% on 2005 levels by 2030) and China has introduced a carbon trading system for the first time. He said the EU needs to make an ambitious and credible climate strategy offering for the Paris conference.
Liese said that in a fortnight's time, the European Commission will publish energy efficiency proposals and it is said that it is looking at a non-binding target of 25% to 27%, but debate is ongoing. There are member states and commissioners pushing for a more ambitious target. Liese said a much more ambitious target is required and any 27% target should be for renewables, as far more is required for energy efficiency, particularly because in its own impact assessment, the Commission says that three binding targets are much better for growth and jobs than simply a binding target for cutting carbon emissions. Gary Lennon of the European Alliance of Safe Energy said that the Commission says in its impact assessment that a 35% target would have double the benefit in terms of energy security, jobs and growth. He added that 30% should be the bare minimum.
The preceding European Parliament demanded a binding target of 40% for the EU with burden-sharing among the member states. Liese said that target was based on a very detailed analysis and was realistic. He did not understand why the European Commission ignores its own impact assessment. He said it wasn not Commissioner Oettinger or Commissioner Hedegaard who opposed the 40% target, but rather Commission President Barroso and Catherine Day. In June 2014, seven member states (Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Greece, Ireland, Luxembourg and Portugal) wrote to the European Commission demanding a binding and ambitious target (see EUROPE 11108). (AN)