In December 2011, the EU Commission launched its Energy Roadmap for 2050. The Energy Roadmap 2050 defines energy policy goals at the EU level and what the Commission wishes to achieve by 2050. It is a strategic document that aims to provide planning certainty for investments, as in the coming decade lots of energy infrastructures will have to be replaced. But legislation at the EU and country levels is needed to shape the energy market. Therefore, on December 2018, the EU issued the Clean Energy for All Europeans package, which is EU’s new energy legislative framework.

The Clean Energy Package aims at placing consumers in the center of the transition to clean energy. Indeed, consumers will have options such as to freely switch their energy provider, have the right to install smart meters in their homes, and be able to use a free online comparison tool under the EU clean energy package. Moreover, the new policy framework gives more regulatory certainty, especially through the introduction of the first national energy and climate plans that will stimulate investments in the energy sector. Finally, it sets two new targets in terms of energy transition for the EU for the year 2030 that, when implemented, will lead to greater decrease of emission reductions (45% by 2030 relative to 1990).

According to Miguel Arias Cañete, the Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy ‘this takes us a step closer towards delivering the Energy Union’ as well as to the fulfillment of EU’s Paris Agreement engagements. The Energy Union pursues 5 major objectives in the field of Energy:

• Security, solidarity and trust: by the diversification of energy sources
• A fully-integrated internal energy market where the energy can flow freely across the EU
• Energy efficiency to reduce the EU’s dependence on energy imports, decrease emissions.
• Climate action – de-carbonizing the economy thanks to policies and legislation.
• Research and innovation in low-carbon and clean energy technologies in order to improve EU’s competitiveness

Vice-President, Maroš Šefčovič, is the leader of the project team in charge of the “Energy Union” and the establishment of a European Energy Union

Within the Roadmap, the EU has set itself objectives for 2020, 2030 and 2050 in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase energy from renewable sources and energy efficiency. Targets for 2050 include a decrease of 80-95% in greenhouse gases compared with 1990 levels.

The EU has made positive progress towards achieving its 2020 objectives, which include:

• Reducing greenhouse gases by at least 20% compared to 1990 levels
• 20% of energy generated by renewable resources
• 20% energy efficiency improvement

However, 7 out of 28 member states have missed the deadline to submit their climate and energy plan that they were required to draft for 2030 in order to set up a firm governance system for the Energy Union. At this point in time, the EU 2030 targets for the year 2030 are:

• At least 40% cuts in greenhouse gas emissions (from 1990 levels)
• At least 27% share for renewable energy
• At least 27% improvement in energy efficiency

Moreover, member states are intended to provide by 1 January 2020 their own long-term strategies for 2050. At the moment, it’s unclear whether or not that they will or have already submitted plans that are only following the 80% trajectory (which is the current emission cuts objective) instead of the “carbon neutrality,” one which is the heart of the most recent long-term strategy published by the Commission.

Please send the following message to the policymaker(s) below.

To Vice-President, Maroš Šefčovič, Commissioner in Charge of the Project Energy Union:

Even if legally-binding objectives are on track to hit a decrease of 80% of gas emissions, we welcome and support the long-term strategy published by the Commission of a ‘climate-neutral Europe’ that targets up to between 90% and 100% emission cuts by 2050. Thus, member states should be required to draft plans that target climate neutrality by 2050 at the latest. They also need to be encouraged to submit there 2030 plans as soon as possible.

Moreover, EU’s major political negotiations regarding the Clean Energy for All Europeans program will only be useful if member states accept to update their plans to reflect EU’s overall climate engagements for both the near (2030) and long-term (2050).

Contact :

Email: cab-sefcovic-web@ec.europa.eu

Address:
European Commission
Rue de la Loi / Wetstraat 200
1049 Brussels
Belgium

Learn More:

Clean energy for all Europeans package: https://ec.europa.eu/energy/en/topics/energy-strategy-and-energy-union/clean-energy-all-europeans
European Energy Union: https://europa.eu/european-union/topics/energy_en
Energy Roadmap 2050: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52011DC0885&from=EN
How are things going so far?: https://europa.eu/european-union/topics/energy_en