The European Commission has launched a public consultation on how to achieve a low carbon European economy by 2050. In early 2011, the Commission plans to publish a Roadmap on options for ‘decarbonising’ the European economy by 2050 and the public consultation will feed into this. The roadmap will set out a strategy for reducing its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 80-95% of 1990 levels by 2050.
It will build on the “resource efficient Europe” flagship initiative under the Europe 2020 strategy which includes as a headline target the reduction of GHG emissions by 20% of 1990 levels by 2020, or by 30% if the conditions are right.
The roadmap will contain an analysis of milestones on the pathway to 2050, including the necessary scenarios of the ambition level for 2030. A major shift in energy production and use will be vital to achieve the long-term targets.
The EU’s future action will therefore need to address key areas such as electricity and gas markets, energy sources, transport, consumer behaviour and closer international cooperation.
The public consultation, which runs until 8th December 2010, aims to gather views from stakeholders and the public on how to ‘decarbonise’ the European economy most effectively and in ways that maximise benefits in terms of stimulating technological innovation, boosting economic growth and job creation, and strengthening the EU’s energy security. The consultation is being conducted online through an interactive questionnaire which is posted at www.ec.europa.eu/clima/consultations/0005/index_en.htm together with a background note about the roadmap.
Commissioner for Climate Action, Connie Hedegaard (pictured) is known to believe strongly that climate action supports business competitiveness and wants to see innovative financial instruments play their part in designing a way forward.