08 Jan 2007 - Brussels, Belgium – The proposal for a EU
common energy policy, to be presented to the European Commission
this Wednesday, is an acid test as to whether the EU is
serious about its commitment to avoid climate change or
merely wants to parade its green credentials on the world
stage.
WWF calls on the EU to put in place the concrete measures
needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The EU must aim
at a unilateral domestic target of 30 per cent reduction
by 2020 compared to 11000 levels. Any lower target is equal
to the EU failing to live up to its responsibility.
“The EU, the largest industrial manufacturing and trading
bloc with almost 500 million citizens, can show the way
and establish long-term measures to keep global warming
under control,” says Stephan Singer, Head of WWF's European
Climate and Energy Unit.
“Europeans cannot afford to wake up in 20 years time and
realize that too little was done, because at that point
it will be too late.”
Last year was the warmest year ever recorded in some European
countries, such as the UK and the Netherlands. The UK, Belgium,
Germany, Ireland and the Netherlands saw their warmest Julys
on record, while in central and south-east Europe extraordinarily
fast snowmelt and heavy rainfall pushed the Danube River
to its highest levels in over a century.
As energy accounts for 93 per cent of carbon dioxide (CO2)
emissions in Europe, action in this sector is key to guaranteeing
development options for future generations. But because
of high-cost infrastructures, such as power plants and pipelines,
achieving significant changes requires long-term planning.
This is why action is paramount now and not deferred to
some point in the future.
According to WWF, the EU must adopt a binding target to
increase energy from renewable sources (such as wind and
biomass) to 25 per cent of all energy used in 2020, accompanied
by specific targets for electricity, heating and cooling
and biofuels to take into consideration the needs of different
markets and investors.
Also, Europe should agree to save 20 per cent of the energy
used. This can be achieved through energy efficiency and
energy conservation in the transport, buildings and electric
equipment sectors.
In addition to the expansion of renewable energy and energy
conservation, an immediate assessment of geologic carbon
storage potential should take place to ensure legally binding
regulation on carbon capture and storage. In this way, by
2020 all power stations will be subject to mandatory carbon
capture and storage.
As far as markets are concerned, a full separation of power
production from power distribution (“unbundling”) will be
necessary to ensure energy from renewable sources is integrated
into the grid and gain major market shares.
END NOTES:
• The “EU energy package” proposed by the European Commission
will be discussed at the EU Environment and Energy Councils
in February, and finally adopted by EU Heads of State and
Government during the European Council in March 2007.
• WWF paper with a collection of 2006 climate records worldwide.
Other than in Europe, the paper includes key facts on global
warming in US, Canada, Australia, China, India, Africa,
as well as in the Arctic and Antarctic.
• In order to keep global warming below 2°C compared
to pre-industrial levels, the EU must adopt a 30 per cent
unilateral domestic greenhouse gas reduction target by 2020.
This will send a signal that the EU considers a low carbon
economy profitable and responsible. The target should not
be conditional to other countries’ actions. To the opposite,
it should increase in the range of 40–50 per cent if others
are prepared to do more.
• Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a way to mitigate
climate change by capturing and compressing carbon dioxide
from large sources, such as power plants, and storing it
away safely instead of releasing it into the atmosphere.
According to experts, CCS may help to reduce carbon pollution
by up to 90 per cent from coal and gas power stations.
Dr Stephan Singer, Head of European Climate and Energy
Unit
WWF European Policy Office
Claudia Delpero, Communications Manager
WWF European Policy Office
