EU Commission targets 30% energy savings by 2030

The European Commission on Wednesday put forward a target to improve energy savings by 30 percent as part of efforts to curb European Union reliance on Russian gas imports.

Energy Commissioner, Guenther Oettinger, said the Commission agreed unanimously on 30 per cent, more ambitious than a level of 25 per cent which had been considered as part of a range of options, according to Reuters.

“Given the need for energy security in gas because of the situation in Russia and Ukraine, what we think is a more ambitious energy efficient savings target is appropriate,” he told a news conference.

Environmental campaigners and Green politicians, however, said 30 per cent was not enough and cited Commission research that has shown gas imports would fall by 40 per cent with a 40 per cent target, but only 22 per cent with a 30 per cent target.

They also cite benefits to gross domestic product as a higher target would create more jobs in the building and insulation sectors, for instance.

Climate Commissioner, Connie Hedegaard, who had called for a target of at least 30 per cent, said Wednesday’s decision was good news for reducing carbon emissions and “not such good news for (Russian President Vladimir) Putin”.

Energy savings are divisive because of the cost of the investment needed to make buildings, for instance, less wasteful.

Member states will have to discuss the proposed goal and have set themselves a deadline of October to agree on a set of climate and energy policy for 2030.

They must decide on whether the target should be binding on individual nations or at an EU-wide level and precisely how the 30 per cent reduction in energy use compared with projected business as usual should be calculated.

The 2030 goals are to follow on from 2020 climate and energy policy, which includes targets to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent compared with 1990, increase the share of renewable energy to 20 per cent of use and increase energy efficiency by 20 per cent.

The Commission says the European Union is on course to meet those targets, but not all nations agree that multiple goals are the best approach.

Germany has called for a 2030 binding energy savings goal and a renewable target as well as an emissions reduction goal.

But some business interests and Britain have pushed for a single emissions-cutting target, complemented by a strengthened EU Emissions Trading System (ETS).

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