European Union sources are reporting EU regulators are considering doubling the bloc’s target to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and setting a tougher binding goal for renewable energy use.
The European Commission, the EU’s executive, outlined new targets earlier this year but has yet to follow up with a firm legislative proposal.
Reuters Newsagency reports that is expected around the end of the year.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, one source told Reuters the EC was considering two legal targets to follow the three green energy goals that expire at the end of this decade.
They would be a 40 per cent carbon-reduction goal and a 30 per cent renewable energy use target.
That compares with the 2020 targets of a 20 per cent carbon cut from 1990 levels, a 20 per cent share of renewable energy and a target to improve energy savings to 20 per cent.
“The Commission at the moment is looking at a 40 per cent domestic greenhouse gas target and a 30 per cent EU-wide renewable energy target, but no third target,” the source said.
Reuters reports the source added that some commissioners opposed the goals and debate would be difficult.
In addition to cutting domestic emissions by 40 per cent, another source said the EU could commit to further cuts through international offsets if a global climate change deal is agreed.
The source added EC experts were analysing the economic impact of a 35-45 per cent range for carbon cutting.
Reuters reports traditionally, EU climate policy has been the preserve of the EC climate and energy departments.
However, Europe’s economic struggles have prompted influential officials, including EU Economic and Monetary Affairs chief Olli Rehn, to insist green policy must not undo fragile recovery.
The EU’s goals can influence the international debate on climate change and also have a bearing on the EU’s Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), which fell to record lows earlier this year under the burden of surplus permits.
Tougher policy goals could help to limit the oversupply of carbon allowances.
If agreed, the new European goals would be more ambitious than other nations have managed.
The United States Senate has refused to legislate cuts favoured by US President Barack Obama and Australia’s new conservative Liberal-National Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who won power earlier this month, has promised to scrap a legislated price on carbon pollution.
Still, environmental campaigners say the 2030 EU carbon-cutting goal should be 60 per cent.
“The greenhouse gas numbers that the Commission is currently going for gives us only a 50:50 chance of preventing run-away climate change,” said Brook Riley, climate and energy campaigner at Friends of the Earth (FoE).
Reuters reports he said the range used to model the economic impact was far too low and the EC was putting short-term political pragmatism before science.
The EC does not comment on proposals before they are published.
Speaking in Vilnius, where EU energy ministers are meeting, Energy Commissioner Guenther Oettinger said only the debate was open.
“It’s up to member states to bring some input, to bring some constructive priorities,” he said.
Reuters reports member states appear deeply divided. Denmark has advocated a new set of three targets, but others, including Britain, have said they want just one carbon-cutting goal.
EU member Poland, which will host the next UN talks on climate change in Warsaw this year, says the EU should not make any promises until there is a global deal, which is not expected until a UN summit in Paris in 2015.
