Brussels, 19/11/2015 (Agence Europe) - Renewable energy is the poor relation of energy union, lamented environmentalists on Wednesday 18 November, the day on which the European Commission gave an update on energy union and the legislative timetable that will make it a reality (see EUROPE 11433).
Ten days before COP 21 (20 November-11 December) opens in Paris, both the Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament and environmentalist NGOs would have liked to have seen higher levels of ambition on renewable energy and decarbonisation. They remain persuaded that the EU's renewable energy target (at least 27% as a non-binding objective for member states) for 2030 is not enough to encourage transition to clean energies, making the EU a low-carbon economy and giving it energy independence.
In the view of the Greens/EFA in Parliament, the Commission's vision of energy transition, despite containing some positive points, provides an “incomplete picture”. Claude Turmes MEP (Luxembourg), the group's spokesperson on energy, said: “President Juncker promised to make Europe the 'world number one' on renewable energy but the Commission has failed to outline how to increase the EU's ambition to this end”. “This threatens our clean technology leadership in sectors where we still have it (such as wind and solutions for the urban environment) and would compound our loss of leadership in other sectors (such as photovoltaic)”, he believes. He feels that, by sticking to “the weak and non-binding 2030 target” for renewables, for the EU this is “a missed opportunity to show that Europe is also moving forward”.
Among the positives, the group welcomes the level of ambition of the Commission on energy efficiency, renewing the commitment to a binding 30% target by 2030. “The Commission has clearly recognised some of the core priorities that need to be achieved in the context of the Energy Union, if it is to be a real basis for a meaningful energy transition. With the G20 moving in this direction and ahead of the crucial UN climate summit in Paris, it is important the EU finally commits to ending fossil fuel subsidies”, states Turmes, adding that “the clearer than expected stance from the Commission on this is encouraging”.
Greenpeace is highly critical and accuses the Commission of snubbing renewable energy, putting the “lack of ambition” down to successful lobbying by industry. “After months of industry lobbying, it's not surprising Sefcovic's head is full of nothing but gas, gas, gas. Swapping coal for gas will keep the EU dependent on foreign oligarchs and dodgy regimes, and slow down the transition to clean home-grown renewable energy. Decarbonisation, energy independence and self-sufficiency in renewable energy production should be the focus of developing a European energy union”, argues Bram Claeys, Greenpeace EU climate and energy policy adviser.
All this comes as a new report, published by the United Nations on 18 November at the request of governments across the globe to help them conduct successful climate policies, sets out a myriad of already existing effective policy options in six areas, headed by renewable energy and including energy efficiency, transport, land use, carbon capture and storage and control of greenhouse gases other than CO2. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)