Coalition for Energy Savings slams Commission’s proposal for nation GHG targets: “efficiency overlooked and Parliament ignored”

(eceee news, 22 Jul 2016) The European Commission’s proposals for national greenhouse gas targets to 2030 overlook the potential for cost-effective energy savings and ignore the European Parliament’s request for a 40% energy efficiency target for 2030, says the Coalition for Energy Savings in a press release issued after the Commission’s proposal was released.

The European Commission proposes a regulation on binding annual greenhouse gas emission reductions by Member States from 2021 to 2030, which should drive reductions in greenhouse gas emissions in sectors such as transport, buildings, agriculture and waste. “Yet the link with energy efficiency improvements as the key driver of such emission cuts is unclear”, the Coalition for Energy Saving writes.

The Coalition also argues that the regulation is not based on a fair and robust assessment of the potential for energy savings, therefore missing out the significant economic benefits of combating climate change and running the risk of inconsistent policy design.

The European Parliament has called for a comprehensive cost-benefits analysis of energy efficiency and insisted on a binding energy efficiency target of 40% for 2030. Yet, the Commission proposals only consider a target of 27% (having in mind an EU level of 30%) for energy efficiency.

“Building national climate targets on the potential for efficiency would secure benefits to all Member States, especially lower-income countries with significant investment gaps”, said Stefan Scheuer, Secretary General of The Coalition for Energy Savings. “The Commission should step up efforts to truly place energy efficiency first in its policy making, which will benefit citizens directly, through renovating inefficient buildings, replacing wasteful equipment and technologies, updating production facilities and building an efficient and clean mobility system”.

Note: The Coalition for Energy Savings (AISBL) is a Brussels-based NGO that strives to make energy efficiency and savings the first consideration of energy policies and the driving force towards a secure, sustainable and competitive European Union. Its membership unites businesses, professionals, local authorities, trade unions, consumer and civil society organisations in pursuit of this goal.  The Coalition calls on the EU to commit itself to a 40% energy saving target by 2030, and to step up policies, measures and investments in order to stop energy waste and tap the considerable energy savings potentials.

Coalition members represent (including eceee):

- more than 500 associations and 200 companies

- 15 million supporters and more than 2 million employees

- 2,500 cities and towns in 30 countries in Europe

Notes for editors

Notes

  • The European Commission proposals can be found here .
  • Coalition Briefing : Putting Energy Efficiency First – the bedrock for designing EU climate and 2030 GHG effort sharing policies. The “Energy Efficiency First” principle calls for proper consideration of energy efficiency potentials in all relevant decision-making. This means that EU climate policies should be developed on the basis of a fair and robust assessment of the potential and policies to realise them. Coalition for Energy Savings, July 2016. (download pdf ) http://energycoalition.eu/sites/default/files/20160707 Coalition for Energy Savings - EE1 for climate policies 2030.pdf)
  • Coalition Briefing : Progress on energy efficiency first: In May 2015, the Coalition for Energy Savings defined “Energy Efficiency First” and identified several areas of focus to make energy efficiency first operational. Since then, how well has the principle of energy efficiency first been embedded in the Energy Union? And to what extent has it been used to deliver the EU objectives of safe, secure and sustainable provision of energy in the most cost effective manner? Coalition For Energy Savings, March 2016 (Download pdf ) http://energycoalition.eu/sites/default/files/201603 EE1 Progress - Coalition Briefing.pdf