Following the Energy Council in Luxembourg on Tuesday 25 June, Miguel Arias Cañete, the European Commissioner for Energy and Climate Action, said that Member States should be “more ambitious” in their draft 2021-2030 integrated National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs).
Speaking to the press, the Commissioner welcomed the fact that Member States have presented draft national plans that are "more integrated", noting that they have until the end of the year to provide more details, if required.
But Mr Cañete said that Member States need to be more ambitious, as the European Commission has shown that some targets will not be met (see EUROPE 12277/4). In terms of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the national NECP projects will, as they stand, make it possible to achieve the EU's target: a reduction of at least 40% by 2030 compared with 1990.
But the non-ETS sector (transport, buildings, agriculture, waste) is the weakest link. In this sector, the reduction will be 28% compared with 2005 instead of the required 30%. The gap to the target of 32% for renewable energies (1.6 percentage points) "could be closed", according to the Commissioner. The gap to the European target of 32.5% for energy efficiency is more problematic. It may be as much as 6 percentage points.
Climate neutrality. Following the European Council of 20 June, Mr Cañete noted that 4 out of 28 countries - Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Estonia - had asked for “more time” before accepting the date of 2050 as the deadline for achieving climate neutrality in the EU (see EUROPE 12279/2). The Commissioner added that the European Council will return to this issue at a later date. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)