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The President of the EU Commission wants to bring the EU’s greenhouse gases below the 1990 level. Austria’s Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler and Climate Protection Minister Leonore Gewessler welcome the proposal.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen calls for the European Union’s greenhouse gases to be at least 55 percent below the 1990 level by 2030. Von der Leyen proposed drastically tightening the target EU climate in his State of the European Union address in Brussels on Wednesday. So far, the official target has been less than 40 percent.
The adjustment to “at least 55 percent” is intended to help comply with the Paris climate protection agreement and stop global warming that is dangerous to humanity. The new target should be clarified with the EU Parliament and EU states in the coming weeks.
She knows this increased savings target is too much for some and not enough for others, von der Leyen said. However, the impact assessment of the EU Commission clearly showed that companies and industry could cope with the tightening. From her point of view, the goal is ambitious, achievable and good for Europe, von der Leyen said.
“Brave but important goal”
Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler and Climate Protection Minister Leonore Gewessler (both Greens) welcomed the proposal. “At least a 55 percent CO2 reduction by 2030 is a bold goal, but also an important one,” Kogler and Gewessler said in a broadcast Wednesday. “In the next negotiations, Austria will work to set at least a 55 percent reduction. Because Austria should be a pioneer in climate protection, also in Europe,” Gewessler said. Last week, the Environment Committee of the EU Parliament approved a proposal with a reduction of 60 percent.
The new goal would mean drastic additional efforts in climate protection. According to the EU Commission, a reduction of around 25 percent was achieved in the 29 years from 1990 to 2019. There are less than ten years left for the new goal. The Greens, among others, are calling for more ambition and a 65 percent reduction.
Lower the carbon ratio
A commission “climate target plan” was released by the weekend, giving detailed reasons for the planned tightening. This is feasible and beneficial to the health, prosperity and well-being of our citizens, he says.
But to do this alone, investments in energy production and use would have to increase by 350 billion euros per year compared to the last ten years. Coal consumption will be reduced by 70 percent compared to 2015, and the share of renewables in total energy consumption will increase by up to 40 percent. Older buildings would have to be renovated and prepared for the weather at twice the speed of before.
Furthermore, some requirements for the energy sector and industry, including CO2 limit values for cars, should be further tightened. The ETS emissions trading system, which so far only includes power plants and factories, will be expanded to include buildings and transportation.
(THAN)
