Climate & Energy Targets

The European Parliament and Energy Ministers are currently finalising their respective positions on the Clean Energy Package - eight legislative proposals that will guide energy policy all across Europe for the next decade. They must step up and strengthen the proposals if Europe is serious about tackling climate change and making European policies work

EU gets homework to scale up action at home

The COP23 UN climate summit slowly comes to an end in Bonn, Germany today, with countries expected to adopt a roadmap for the Talanoa Dialogue - a process which should ultimately result in scaling up countries’ 2030 climate pledges following the next UN Climate Summit in 2018.

At the UN Climate Summit in Bonn today the Dutch Climate Minister Erik Wiebes urged the EU to up its 2030 climate target from the current ‘at least’ 40% to 55%, bringing it closer to what is required to keep the Paris Agreement goals within reach and adding momentum to the UN climate talks expected to conclude tomorrow.

• Global energy transition taking up speed - but no country is doing enough
• Countries have to strengthen targets and implementation
• Sweden, Lithuania, Morocco and Norway leading the table - USA in free fall

Today the EU institutions reached an agreement on the redesign of one of the bloc’s key climate policies, the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS).

Reducing emissions drastically in the near term, before 2020, is a precondition for countries to be able to meet the long term goals of the Paris Agreement and avoid the worst impacts of climate change.

In this side event Climate Action Network Europe discusses the most important means countries can take to reduce their emissions immediately, and elaborate on why more speedy and effective action will minimise the damage to our societies imposed by climate change.

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This letter was sent ahead of the COREPER meeting on the 27th of October 2017

Dear Ambassador,

During the meeting of COREPER on 27 October you will have the opportunity to provide political guidance on several elements of the Governance regulation, mainly on defining a framework to ensure the delivery of the renewable energy target (Articles 4, 5, 25, 27). The Governance regulation is a key building block of a successful Energy Union, and the nest for many

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is being reviewing its Emissions Performance Standard (EPS) in 2017. Its EPS is part of the EIB Energy Lending Criteria1 adopted in July 2013, and set at a level of 550 g CO2/kWh.

Today the European Parliament’s Environment Committee voted on its opinion on the revision of the Renewable Energy Directive for the period 2021 – 2030.

Today EU Environment Ministers have reached an agreement on the Effort Sharing Regulation (ESR), which is meant to be one of the EU’s key tools to implement the Paris Agreement.

Diluted to the point of being almost meaningless, the new law as agreed by the ministers would fail to provide a serious constraint for carbon pollution from transport, agriculture, waste and buildings. Thus, it would have an extremely limited impact on the climate.

On 13th October, EU Environment Ministers are expected to agree on their position on one of the EU’s cornerstone measures for the implementation of the Paris Agreement, the Effort Sharing Regulation (ESR).

The negotiations of this policy show that EU Member States play a two-faced game on climate: they claim commitment to the Paris Agreement, but at the same time try their utmost to avoid real climate action at home.

Today the European Parliament adopted a resolution ahead of this year’s UN Climate Summit COP23. It calls on the EU to review and increase its 2030 climate target, following the next UN Climate Summit in 2018, when world leaders will gather to assess progress in the implementation of the Paris Agreement.

Invitation to a media briefing ahead of the Environment Council on 13 October

Dear Minister,

Adopting the Paris Agreement in 2015 marked a critical turning point toward a zero-carbon future, uniting the world in a global effort to tackle climate change. During the next Environment Council meeting on 13 October you will have the opportunity to decide on the Council’s position on two of the three pillars of the EU’s climate policy; the Regulations on Effort Sharing (ESR) and Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF).

In July 2016, the European Commission published its legislative proposal for emission reductions in the sectors transport, agriculture, buildings, small industry and waste for 2021-2030, the so called Effort Sharing Regulation (ESR).

EU member states risk undermining the diminishing confidence Europeans have in the Union by playing a two-faced game on climate change, warns Wendel Trio.

Yesterday EU Member States’ ambassadors discussed a draft position on the future of one of the EU’s cornerstone measures for the implementation of the Paris Agreement, the Effort Sharing Regulation (ESR), which sets national targets to reduce emissions from transport, waste, agriculture, buildings and small industry.

The text, which received large support from the ambassadors, forms a basis for the position of EU Environment Ministers, expected to be agreed

If the Governance legislation is done right, the framework can significantly contribute to implementing the EU's fair share to achieve the long term objectives of the Paris Agreement. It can also help unlocking investor confidence and reduce transition costs while reducing the risks of stranded assets across the European economy.

This letter was sent ahead of the High-level Conference on Energy 'Europe’s Future Electricity Market'

Dear Minister,

Next week you will travel to Tallinn, Estonia to discuss amongst several other issues, the proposed
Regulation for Energy Union Governance.

The proposed centralisation of climate and energy policy planning and reporting obligations is an
opportunity to achieve better policy integration and track progress of implementation.