BAKU, Azerbaijan, Dec. 12
By Leman Zeynalova - Trend:
Over 30 percent of electricity in Europe is already renewable, said the EU Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson, Trend reports citing the European Commission’s website.
“The EU has been an early mover on renewable energy. We are on track to achieve our 2020 renewable energy target of 20 percent; progress has been particularly strong in the power sector, where more than 30 percent of electricity is already renewable. In some EU countries, for entire months renewables represent 80 percent or more of the power supply,” she said.
Simson noted that largely thanks to energy efficiency, Europe has successfully decoupled energy use from economic growth and reduced our energy imports. And progress in the EU has been the crucial driving factor for the fall in renewable costs worldwide, added the commissioner.
“Our companies have acquired invaluable experience by being first movers, and have learned to cooperate across borders. In off-shore wind, for example, European companies represent an impressive 90 percent of the global market,” noted Simson.
As the energy sector accounts for three-quarters of Europe’s emissions, it will of course be in the front line of the European Green Deal, she said.
“In particular, we will take action in areas where we can go further: smart integration, offshore wind energy, energy storage, decarbonised gas and hydrogen, energy efficiency, in the renovation of buildings; in the active participation of citizens and communities; in the necessary effort to make the transition fair and inclusive,” said the energy commissioner.
Europe intends to develop a green agenda for the Western Balkans and place a greater emphasis on cooperation with Africa, in particular our Southern Neighbourhood, said Simson.
Becoming the world’s first climate-neutral continent by 2050 is the greatest challenge and opportunity of our times. To achieve this, the European Commission presented the European Green Deal, the most ambitious package of measures that should enable European citizens and businesses to benefit from sustainable green transition. Measures accompanied with an initial roadmap of key policies range from ambitiously cutting emissions, to investing in cutting-edge research and innovation, to preserving Europe’s natural environment.
Supported by investments in green technologies, sustainable solutions and new businesses, the Green Deal can be a new EU growth strategy. Involvement and commitment of the public and of all stakeholders is crucial to its success.
Above all, the European Green Deal sets a path for a transition that is just and socially fair. It is designed in such a way as to leave no individual or region behind in the great transformation ahead.
---
Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn