Eco-groups look to Germany to strengthen EU energy package

Green groups say they are disappointed with the new EU energy package and want the German EU presidency to upgrade the proposals.

Environmental NGOs slammed Wednesday’s long-awaited proposals as “feeble” and “vague” and accused Brussels of contradicting its own findings.

“[The commission is] ignoring its own scientific and economic analysis, the commission proposes to stick to a business-as-usual energy policy, instead of making a paradigm shift to renewable energies and energy efficiency,” said Friends of the Earth.

“This energy package is another major step on the commission’s road to becoming the world leader in pure announcements and lip-service,” said EREC, the European renewable energy council.

Green groups were disappointed with a proposed target to reduce greenhouse gasses across the EU by 20 per cent by 2020, arguing that a 30 per cent cut would have been more effective.

“An EU unilateral target of only 20 per cent would not be enough to guarantee the EU's own objective to keep global temperature increase below two degrees Celsius, and would indicate to the rest of the world that the EU is barely serious about tackling the climate crisis,” said Friends of the Earth’s Jan Kowalzig.

“A unilateral domestic target of 30 per cent by 2020, in addition to support to developing countries for reducing their emissions, is the only hope we have of staying below two degrees Celsius rise compared to pre-industrial levels,” warned WWF.

The eco-group added that it will now look to Germany, as EU Presidency holders, and other sympathetic member states backing the higher 30 per cent greenhouse gas reduction target such as the UK, Sweden, and France to strengthen the package at the spring summit in March.

“The [commission’s] paper is focused on the costs rather than benefits of fighting dangerous climate change. Europe will never become the leader in cutting greenhouse gas emissions globally if it sticks to this narrow approach,” said WWF’s Stephan Singer.

Kowalzig echoed the call for member states to intervene.

“Scientific findings show that it simply won't be enough for the EU to only reduce CO2 emissions by 20 per cent by 2020 if we want to avoid catastrophic climate change.”

“If EU governments confirm a target below 30 per cent at the upcoming EU Summit, it will be a punch in the face for everyone already suffering from floods or droughts.”

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