EU Sets New Targets to Reduce Energy Emissions
At last year’s Paris climate talk, 196 countries agreed to take action to keep global warming from rising 2C above pre-industrial levels.
The EU agreed to a 40pc reduction on greenhouse gas emission levels by 2030. Each state has its own reduction targets that are set as fairly and realistically as possible.
In the last climate change briefing, the European Commission proposed that Ireland reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 30pc, which are the 12th highest targets in the EU.
The latest research shows that European greenhouse gas emissions will be 26pc lower by 2020. By 2030 they are expected to be 35pc lower and will continue to fall.
According the Paris initiative, the EU must get a minimum of 20pc of energy from renewable sources by 2020. At the moment Europe is behind on those targets.
Right now, renewable energy covers about 19pc of Europe’s total energy generation by 2020. The largest source of renewable energy in Europe will be wind, and solar and biomass are expected to increase as well while nuclear energy will be reduced.
