2030 decarbonisation targets - a bold step towards climate neutrality
The EU’s fight on climate change intensifies, as the Commission takes a bold step towards meeting the climate neutrality goal. Today, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced her intention to increase the 2030 CO2 emissions reduction target, from 40% to at least 55%, compared to 1990 levels.
“The new CO2 target for 2030 announced by Ursula von der Leyen will put the EU on track to meet its obligations under the Paris Agreement and make our continent the undisputed leader of global climate action”, said Kristian Ruby, Secretary General of Eurelectric.
The electricity sector has come a long way to support ambitious climate effort, with a record of two-thirds of the generated electricity coming from carbon-free sources in the first half of 2020. By the end of this decade, up to 80% of all generation could be carbon-free, provided that all barriers are removed to accelerate the build-out of renewable energy and that sufficient investments flow to modernise and reinforce the power grid infrastructure.
Kristian Ruby stressed, however, that significant challenges lie ahead and that specific measures, especially in end-use sectors, are now urgently needed to enable deep decarbonisation.
“It is a very ambitious target. Meeting it will no doubt be challenging. It is critical that all sectors are obliged to deliver and that targeted efforts are initiated to accelerate electrification in transport, heating and industry” he added.
Updated facts and figures regarding the decarbonisation trends, and the projections towards meeting EU's CO2 emissions reduction targets are available in the Power Barometer 2020.