Enigin Update - EU Leaders Dodge Targets
EUROPEAN UNION (EU) leaders meet in Brussels tomorrow (Feb 4) and are expected to announce a review of energy saving plans but not to the levels called for by many energy and environmental experts.
We reported in December that the EU is set to miss its target, leading to stakeholders criticising the bloc for lowering its sights. The European Commission admitted that the EU is set to miss its energy consumption reduction target of 20 percent by 2020, revealing they are predicted to reduce its energy consumption by only 9 percent.
During tomorrow's summit EU leaders are expected to agree a review of energy-efficiency policy but not until 2013, instead of 2012 as previously announced, with the later plan considering further measures only ''if necessary'', with no intention of making the expected 20 percent savings target legally binding.
EurActive report that the Hungarian climate minister last week stated he could not see member states agreeing to a binding target because at least half of the ministers were against it.
A group of industry stakeholders and environmental NGOs expressed frustration with the non-binding nature of the 20 percent energy savings target. According to industry representatives, the know-how for increasing energy efficiency is available.
The stakeholders feel that making the target binding the use of such technology will be stimulated, citing as an example renewable energy, which saw a boost when the target for renewables was made binding.
Industry representatives and NGOs argued that although up to €300 million would be available for investment in energy efficiency over the next 10 years, member states often limit the funds available. They also claim that governments are lacking ''ambition'' in this respect.
European Commission President José Manuel Barroso recently made moves towards achieving 20 percent energy savings as the Commission included energy efficiency as a top priority in its latest 'Energy 2020' strategy.
With industry, commerce and NGOs accepting the importance of energy efficiency, despite the EU's lacksidasical approach, it is no wonder that Enigin Distributors are busy helping many organisations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce energy demand and save money on energy costs through implementing energy efficiency solutions from Enigin.
