Thursday 21 July 2016

EU proposes binding national emission targets

The European Commission has proposed binding annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emission targets for Member States.

They cover the transport, buildings, agriculture, waste, land-use and forestry sectors and aim to meet the agreed goals by 2030.

The UK will have to cut emissions by 37% and countries such as The Netherlands and Denmark by 36% and 38% respectively.

It will be up to each Member State to decide how to implement the measures to meet the agreed 2030 target.

The national targets aim for an overall EU emissions reduction of 30% in the sectors covered by the proposal.

Vice-President in charge of the Energy Union Maroš Šefčovič said:"The Energy Union is delivering. With the proposed reform of the Emissions Trading System last year and today's proposal on greenhouse gas emissions targets for Member States, we anchor the 2030 Energy and Climate framework in legislation.

"We are also setting our transport system firmly on the path towards zero-emissions. Today's package shows that we are mobilising all our policies towards the competitive, circular and low carbon economy that we promised in the Energy Union Strategy".