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What it is: A target for achieving a low-carbon economy and energy security in Europe: a 20 percent reduction in overall emissions (compared to 1990 levels) by 2020; a 20 percent cut in energy consumption through energy efficiency by the year 2020; and a 20 percent increase in the share of renewable energy use (currently at 8 percent) by the year 2020. It is “a very ambitious target for these countries,” says Marianne Moscoso-Osterkorn, International Director of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership, an EE Global sponsor. Ms. Moscoso-Osterkorn is a member of EE Global’s International Steering Committee as well as its International Planning Committee, and will be moderating the Buildings Session, Energy Efficiency and Renewables: Competing or Complementary Technologies.
How it works: The “Climate action and renewable energy package” outlines the expected contributions of each member state to achieve those carbon-cutting 20-20-20 targets. First submitted on January 23, 2008 by the European Commission (EC), the package was finalized and passed into law December 2008 by the European Parliament and Council in Poznan, Poland. The sectors targeted in this plan are those within the EU’s Emissions Trading System (EU ETS, also known as cap-and-trade), which are the energy and industrial sectors. Those not included – transport, housing, agriculture and waste – are required to cut emissions by about 10 percent. Should other developed countries make comparable efforts, the EC says it will ‘scale up’ reduction to as much as 30 percent.
Why: By setting well-enforced limits on emissions and requiring industry to improve their efficiency standards, the package effectively strengthens and expands the EU ETS. According to the European Commission’s Climate Action website, “A single EU-wide cap on ETS emissions will be set, and free allocation of emission allowances will be progressively replaced by auctioning of allowances by 2020.”
Feedback: Some scientists say the target is not high enough, and that 25 – 40 percent is a more appropriate figure to avoid serious climate change consequences. On the other hand, countries that rely heavily on industry are worried that the plan might impinge economic growth. Nevertheless, many in the energy community are praising the 20-20-20 plan as a confident step towards unified emissions reductions, and one that shows Europe taking the lead in the war on carbon - certain to be a major topic at EE Global as well as the 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen.
EE Global Connection: Energy Commissioner of the European Union Andris Pielbags will be accepting an EE Visionary Awards at the event's Plenary Luncheon on Tuesday, April 28. EE Visionary Award winners are selected by the EE Global International Steering Committee (ISC).
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