Europe unveils major energy, climate change plan
January 23rd 2008 The European Commission has today agreed on a far-reaching package of proposals that will deliver the European Council's commitments to fight climate change and promote renewable energy.
The proposals are meant to demonstrate that the targets agreed last year are technologically and economically possible and provide a business opportunity for thousands of European companies.
They will increase the use of renewable energy in each country and set legally enforceable targets for governments to achieve them. All major CO2 emitters will be given an incentive to develop clean production technologies through a thorough reform of the Emissions Trading System (ETS) that will impose an EU-wide cap on emissions.
The package seeks to deliver the European Union to reduce greenhouse gases by at least 20% and increases to 20% the share of renewable energies in the energy consumption by 2020, as agreed by EU leaders in March 2007.
The emissions reduction will be increased to 30% by 2020 when a new global climate change agreement is reached.
"Responding to the challenge of climate change is the ultimate political test for our generation," said commission president, José Manuel Barross. "Our mission, indeed our duty, is to provide the right policy framework for transformation to an environment friendly European economy and to continue to lead the international action to protect our planet. Our package not only responds to this challenge, but holds the right answer to the challenge of energy security and is an opportunity that should create thousands of new businesses and millions of jobs in Europe".
The measures were passed despite pressure from industry lobbyists who said the higher cost of renewables would result in a rise in energy costs.
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