45% by 2030

Towards a truly sustainable energy system in the EU

Strong words demand strong actions. There is a far reaching agreement that
Europe’s energy system must undergo radical change. This is seen as the key
element for fulfilling the European Union’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80-95% by 2050 in order to avoid the most serious effects of climate change for the well-being of our societies.

With today’s policies, however, the EU is set to fail meeting its long-term climate ambition. The European Commission estimates that a continuation of current trends and policies would result in only a 40% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050. EU energy policy, building upon its 2020 targets, needs to be geared up to reach significant greenhouse gas emissions reductions by 2050, while increasing energy security and competitiveness for the benefit of European citizens.

Renewable energy sources and energy savings are the most straightforward
means of both reducing emissions and improving security of energy supply. Energy related CO2 emissions have already been reduced by more than 20% against 1990 levels due to the deployment of renewable energy technologies.

In 2004, the European Renewable Energy Council (EREC) called for a legally binding EU target of 20% renewable energy by 2020, a claim which has been supported by various stakeholders and finally enshrined in law with the 2009 Renewable Energy Directive. Now it is time to take the next step and lift up our ambitions for the post-2020 decade.

EREC calls on the European Commission, Member States and the European
Parliament to deliver on the European Union’s long-term climate commitment by proposing and endorsing a legally binding EU target of at least 45% renewable energy