The European Commission concluded that national plans of member state countries are inadequate to achieve EU’s 2030 energy and climate goals. Renewable energy use is expected to fall short by 1.6 percentage points against a 32% target for 2030 and energy efficiency measures may leave a gap of 6.2 percentage points versus a 32.5% benchmark. On the positive side, greenhouse gas reduction of 40%, another of the EU’s official goals, could be accomplished in the National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs).
Yet, the other objectives are considered outdated since they were agreed on in 2014. The Europan Parliament suggested enhancing the goals by 55% to fulfill the Paris Agreement commitments. Still, the last estimate warns that the member states will come up 2% short in sectors like agriculture, ground transport, and buildings, being excluded from the EU’s carbon trading system. Predictions imply rather 28% cuts than the agreed 30%.
While new laws brokered last year have the potential to reduce emissions by 45% prior to 2030, the EU member states are not on the track to achieve the goal. EU authorities have said that the gaps are “substantial” but insist that changes are possible in the foreseeable future. They also plea for more patience with EU countries, reminding this is the first time the members have been asked to do this. The European Commission has made individual recommendations to each member state that have time until December to adjust them into their plans.
