Policy: EU Parliament proposes Renewable Energy and CO2 reduction targets

The European Parliament welcomed a European Commission green paper on a strategy for sustainable, competitive and secure energy.

The European parliament has resolved in a non-binding conclusion that by 2050 the overwhelming proportion of EU energy needs should be met by carbon-free sources. Strategies should focus on:

• energy saving,
• efficiency and
• renewable energies

The European Parliament said the overall goal for renewables should be 25 per cent of primary energy consumption by 2020, and that a binding EU CO2 reduction target for 2020 of 30% and an indicative goal for 2050 of 60-80% should be agreed upon in 2007.