The leaked report on the revision of the Renewable Energy Directive calls the EU to raise its 2030 renewable energy target to at least 35%.
The report forms the basis of the European Parliament’s position on the new Renewable Energy Directive, which will determine the future of the renewable energy deployment in the EU, according to the Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe.
The EU is called to raise the 2030 renewable energy target to at least 35% in the report which argues that the Commission’s proposal and the European Council’s endorsement of the 27% target occurred before the signature of the Paris Agreement and were based on technology cost estimates which have already proven to be overly pessimistic and are now outdated.
It also proposed that EU reintroduces national binding targets for 2030, stating that the targets have been the most important driver for renewable energy policies and investments in many member states.
Commenting on the report, Wendel Trio , Director of CAN Europe, said: “Raising the target to at least 35% is a step in the right direction, but still stops short of fulfilling the EU’s commitment under the Paris Agreement. This report should match the level of ambition set out by the Parliament’s report on the overarching governance regulation, which calls for an at least 45% target.
“We welcome the call for for national binding targets, which would strengthen investor confidence and in turn reduce transition costs.”
CAN Europe is a coalition working on climate and energy issues, with over 130 member organizations in more than 30 European countries.