Environmental campaigners wary of revised energy efficiency plans

Environmental campaigners have this week claimed that the latest proposals put forward by the Danish EU presidency to improve the EU’s record on energy efficiency are too weak to achieve the 20 percent energy savings goal set for 2020.

This week EU ambassadors will meet to discuss how the current savings of 10 percent can be adjusted to meet the bloc's target.

The Coalition for Energy Savings, which represents a number of businesses and environmental groups, argue that the new proposals would only see the energy efficiency gap closed by one third, falling well short of the EU’s ambitious targets.

The latest proposals include the removal of rigid national targets and the softening of energy efficiency laws in regards to the renovation of public buildings.

Stefan Scheuer, the coalition’s secretary general, said that EU ministers show “a lack of responsibility in the light of the energy challenges”.

Scheuer stresses that “exploding energy costs, high unemployment and a slow economic recovery call for urgent investment in energy efficiency within Europe rather than spending money on energy imports.”

“Member states need to focus less on finding ways to wriggle out of taking action,” he added.

Of the three 2020 green energy goals the 20 percent energy savings target is the only one that the EU is not on track to meet.

In order to meet this target the Danish presidency has made the establishment of a legally binding treaty on the Energy Efficiency Directive its primary objective during its final few months at the helm of the EU, which will end June this year.

“Implementing this directive will contribute to a greener Europe and help to create growth, improve competitiveness and create jobs in Europe,” says Denmark’s Minister for Climate, Energy and Building, Martin Lidegaard.

“Investing in energy efficiency is money well spent. The Heads of State and Government of the European Union have asked the Ministers for Energy to reach an agreement concerning the directive before the end of the Danish Presidency – we will work strenuously to make this happen.”

Plans to introduce a legally binding accord have been met with fierce criticism by a number of Europe’s largest utilities and likewise by member states.

Poland, a major coal producer and exporter, is particularly opposed to increased emission cuts. The country currently relies on coal for 90 percent of its electricity supply and successfully blocked a previous EU attempt to amend carbon emission targets in June of last year.

“There is no point whatsoever in gambling with the European’s economy’s future, introducing policies that might put our industries in jeopardy versus our competititors,” Poland’s Environment Minister Marcin Korolec told the Financial Times.

Minister Korolec has also reportedly sent a letter to other EU Environment Ministers urging them to oppose the new targets. Already, the Czech Republic, Romania and one of the Baltic countries have pledged to back Poland.

Denmark has set a target of reducing its own carbon emissions by 40 percent by 2020. A figure that not only doubles that of the overall EU target, but a benchmark it hopes others will follow.

 

Image 01: Climate Action Stock Photo

Image 02: Bundesarchiv | Wikimedia Commons

Image 03: Dougww | Flickr

Image 04: Climate Action Stock Photo