EU drafts renewable energy target

Canberra Times
Saturday 10/3/2007 Page: 17

A draft final statement at a European Union summit set a binding target of 20 per cent of renewable sources in EU energy consumption by 2020 in an ambitious strategy to fight climate change. The compromise circulated by EU president Germany offered flexibility on how the 27 member states contribute to the common pan- European goal for renewables such as solar, wind and hydro-electric power.

The wording appeared aimed to win over states reliant on nuclear energy, led by France, or coal, such as Poland, or small countries with few energy resources, such as Cyprus and Malta, by adding references to the national energy mix.

"Differentiated national overall targets" for renewables should be set "with due regard to a fair and adequate allocation, taking account of different national starting points", it said.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel hoped to clinch a deal on a long-term strategy integrating energy and climate change to pressure the United States and other nations to follow the EU lead in combating global warming. "This text is indeed a breakthrough as regards the environment and climate change policy of the European Union," she said.

"Once this is agreed this will indeed inject a truly new quality to this particular area of the EU and will establish our position in the vanguard of energy policy worldwide." The 27 leaders committed themselves to a target of reducing EU greenhouse gas emissions, blamed for heating the planet, by 20 per cent by 2020 and offered to go to 30 per cent if other nations followed suit.

The draft statement also set a 10 per cent minimum target for biofuels in transport to be introduced by 2020 in a cost-efficient way. In an attempt to balance pro- and anti-nuclear power states, the draft added wording on the contribution of nuclear energy "in meeting growing concerns about safety of energy supply and CO2 emissions reductions while ensuring that nuclear safety and security are paramount in the decision-making process".

Leaders came close to a deal on renewables but several countries sought assurances their special circumstances and financial limits would be taken into account when sharing the burden of meeting an EU-wide target. Polish President Lech Kaczynski said,"Poland is ready to accept binding targets as long as they are the European average and specific conditions of various countries are taken into account".

French President Jacques Chirac accepted a binding target but said nuclear power must play a role in Europe's drive to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Ms Merkel said nuclear power was not a renewable energy form but could help to reduce overall carbon dioxide emissions. Several EU states are opposed to using nuclear power or are in the process of phasing it out. The summit outcome will form the basis of the EU's position in talks to find a replacement to the UN Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012.