The European Commission today has agreed to propose to EU in 2030 should have reduced its CO2 pollution by 40 percent compared to 1990 levels.
At the same time , the Commission proposes that the EU sets a binding target that 27 percent of the energy supply in 2030 comes from renewable sources like solar and wind.
A source close to the commission’s meeting Wednesday morning in Brussels says the Commission decision is a victory for the line, the Danish climate commissioner Connie Hedegaard has been going on for more than industry friendly German Energy Commissioner Günther Oettinger.
It is still unclear how the renewable energy targets can be made binding when it is only defined at EU level and not previously being pinned on requirements for the member states.
It will be up to negotiations with member states and the European Parliament to find out how to handle making the target binding.
Usually it is the European Commission that draws the individual countries to court if they fail to live up to binding targets. In order to avoid that the commission should ask themselves before the court, there will probably be a need for an element of something you can hold onto countries.
Also, the framework will in the coming months be negotiated with the other EU institutions.
The overall climate and energy package will be presented by President Barroso , Commissioner Connie Hedegaard and Energy Commissioner Günther Oettinger presented at a press conference at 12 o’clock in Brussels. The pack is also a proposal for a long-term solution to Europe’s system for trading pollution allowances.
Instead of the current patchwork approach, where for a time it has picked up a large quantity of allowances out of the deal, the commission according Ritzaus details add up to a reason for changing the system so that the number of allowances in the market are automatically adjusted in line with fluctuations in economic activity.
Source: Ritzau - Reuters - Information.dk