The European Union is likely to come under renewed pressure to agree to strict new greenhouse gas targets for 2030 as new figures show it will significantly exceed its emissions target of 20 per cent by 2020.
According to data released by the European Environment Agency (EEA), greenhouse gas emissions fell 19.2 per cent below 1990 levels by the end of 2012, partly as a result of economic recession.
With six years still to go until the target needs to be met, an EEA spokesman told the British environmental news website BusinessGreen that the EU is on track to “significantly overshoot” its original ambitions to reduce emissions by 20 per cent by 2020.
Emissions were expected to rise slightly in 2013 as countries started to recover from the recession, but the EEA still expects emissions to be 22.5 per cent lower in 2020 than they were in 1990.
The organisation said emissions fell by 1082 million tonnes across the bloc since 1990, around half of which was the result of a decline in output caused by economic recession.
BusinessGreen reports the growth in renewable energy, energy efficiency measures and cleaner transport technologies also played a big role.
Significantly, the EEA found that emissions dropped while GDP rose by 45 per cent during the 22-year period, highlighting a decoupling of emissions and economic growth.
“The EU has demonstrated that there is no conflict between a growing economy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” said Hans Bruyninckx, EEA executive director, in a statement.
“Policies have been at the heart of this success.
“We need to go even further, but this will depend on countries implementing policies which already map a path towards a low carbon, energy secure society.”
BusinessGreen reports emissions reductions were not equal across member states.
The figures reveal that in 2012, United Kingdom and Germany actually increased their emissions as they used more solid fuels such as coal.
In contrast, Italy’s dramatic cuts accounted for 45 per cent of overall EU emissions reductions during the year.
Member states have long expected the EU to meet and even exceed its 2020 climate reduction goals, however efforts to increase ambition were thwarted after Poland repeatedly blocked a 30 per cent target.
The EEA report is likely to put greater pressure on the EU to set an ambitious carbon reduction goal in the 2030 climate and energy package, which is currently being discussed by member states.
The European Commission wants the target to be as high as 40 per cent.
Green groups have warned that an unambitious target would fail to drive investments in low carbon energy, such as wind turbines and solar panels, and fear that countries would struggle to tighten ambition after the target had been set.
