Actions against climate change

The European Commission's revised renewable energy directive will be presented on July 14 as part of a broader package of laws aimed at meeting the bloc's updated 2030 climate targets.

Just two weeks ago, policy makers agreed on a new European Climate Law that, for the first time, makes the bloc's climate neutrality target in 2050 a legal obligation for the EU.

The new law also sets the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels, although that goal will also take into account the removal of carbon from forestry and the use of land, making the gross target look more like 52 or 53% reduction.

Renewable energy

"Renewable energy plays a fundamental role in achieving the European Green Deal and achieving climate neutrality by 2050," says a draft cost-benefit analysis of the proposal, published on the website of the Renewable Heating & Cooling Alliance, a group of the industry.

"The energy sector contributes more than 75% of total GHG emissions in the EU and therefore energy efficiency and renewables are critical to achieving the highest climate ambition by 2030," the document states.

The current directive was last updated in 2018 and aims for a 32% share of renewables in the EU energy mix by 2030. Increasing this target to 38-40% means roughly doubling the share of renewables, which currently cover around 20% of the block's energy needs.

Pending issues

However, not everyone is happy with the ideas contained in the proposal. SolarPower Europe, an industry group, expressed frustration at the Commission's planned target of 38-40%, saying it could have been higher.

"Reaching 45% renewable energy by 2030 is possible and would put the EU on a profitable trajectory to become climate neutral by 2050," said Miguel Herrero, Policy Advisor at SolarPower Europe.

"To get there, the revision of the renewable energy directive must address the outstanding issues around the permitting process for renewable energy projects and improve the framework for commercial and industrial renewable energy self-consumption," he told EURACTIV.

Commission 2030

WindEurope, a trade association, welcomed the Commission's improved target for 2030, but insisted on solving permitting procedures to accelerate the deployment of wind farms, both onshore and offshore.

"The most ambitious renewable energy targets remain academic if we don't fix the permits," says Christoph Zipf, WindEurope communication manager. To speed up the procedures, WindEurope calls on the European Commission to assess the best practices of the EU member states and "act as a clearinghouse that promotes successful permitting practices."

WWF, the global conservation group, expressed doubts about the EU executive's determination to tackle biomass-related sustainability issues.

"It seems that the Commission is finally realizing that burning trees in the name of stopping climate change is a really stupid idea," said Alex Mason, senior policy officer at WWF's Office for European Policy.