Energy savings The cheapest, cleanest, safest energy is the energy we don’t actually need

EU climate and energy plans for 2030 dangerously inadequate

27 March 2013

Brussels, March 27 - EU officials today published details of their planned approach to climate and energy policy until 2030. Friends of the Earth Europe has described the plans as ‘dangerously inadequate’ and particularly criticised the lack of legally binding targets to encourage more energy from renewables and more energy savings.

The European Commission’s strategy paper [1] indicates the executive’s clear support for a legally binding target for reducing EU greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

27 February 2013

Savings of €250 billion per year with energy efficiency

A new report out today shows that the European Union could benefit from €200 billion net savings per year providing it gets on track to meeting its stated 20% by 2020 energy savings target [1].

The report written by Ecofys and commissioned by Friends of the Earth Europe and Climate Action Network Europe also looks to 2030 and finds that net savings in the order of €250 billion per year could be achieved if the EU reduces its energy use by roughly 35% below 2005 levels by 2030.

19 February 2013

Dangerous over-reliance on failing EU carbon trading scheme

Members of the European Parliament’s environment committee voted today in favour of a proposal to delay the introduction of permits into the EU Emissions Trading System.

The proposal, referred to as ETS ‘backloading’, is designed to increase the carbon price and help make the scheme more effective in driving emissions reductions. But over-reliance on this failing scheme is a dangerous distraction from more effective action against climate change, according to Friends of the Earth Europe.

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Using less energy is the best way to cut CO2 emissions, oil and gas imports, and energy bills. This is why Friends of the Earth Europe is calling for binding EU energy saving targets. Binding targets are the only way to make sure governments cut energy use and people get all the benefits of energy savings.

More resources

Parliament votes for tougher EU energy saving rules - video by The Greens, February 2012

Reports & publications

10 May 2013

2030 climate and energy policy: the time is now

27 Feb 2013

Saving energy: bringing down Europe’s energy prices for 2020 and beyond

More reports & publications

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