Towards a truly green vision for Europe’s energy system

(EurActiv, 29 Jun 2020) The EU can reach climate neutrality as early as 2040, according to a group of environmental NGOs which have mapped out a scenario to move the bloc towards a 100% renewable energy system by then.

The following op-ed is co-signed by a group of civil society organisations (full list of signatories at the bottom).

As European leaders vow unprecedented action to reach carbon neutrality and preserve a healthy planet for the next generations, it is essential that we get our priorities right when designing Europe’s future energy system and related infrastructure.

This is the time for our governments and institutions to align investments with a comprehensive plan to accelerate the transition to clean energy. The next 18 to 24 months present an important window of opportunity to boost both energy efficiency and the uptake of renewable energy and to accelerate the move away from fossil fuels. Should policymakers fail to live up to expectations, it will become increasingly difficult to limit global warming to 1.5°C and prevent catastrophic consequences for people, the economy and the planet.

This is why a coalition of civil society organisations is putting forward a collective, NGO-led, scenario for a fossil-free energy system. This work – the result of continuous analysis and collaboration with industry representatives and grid operators – illustrates the EU’s most straightforward pathway to achieving at least 65% emissions reduction by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2040.

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EurActiv, 29 Jun 2020: Towards a truly green vision for Europe’s energy system