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Mind the gap: Aligning the 2030 climate and energy policy framework to meet long-term climate goals EU

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For a better coordination of climate and energy policies through the regulation on the Governance of the Energy Union

 

This new study analyses interactions between EU energy and climate policies and proposes policy options to mitigate counteractive interactions and meet an increased EU long-term climate ambition in line with the Paris Agreement.

Paris, April 10th, 2018 – I4CE – Institute for Climate Economics- and Enerdata demonstrate from their analyses on policy interactions within the EU 2030 energy and climate framework that:

  1. On the one side, counterproductive interactions within the EU 2030 climate and energy framework undermine its effectiveness and jeopardize the achievement of climate targets.

    Legislative texts currently under negotiation lack the necessary provisions to mitigate these effects.
  2. On the other, the 2030 climate and energy framework falls short of the EU long-term ambition,which is itself insufficient to respect its commitment under the Paris Agreement.

A policy window is currently open in Europe with the revision of its 2030 climate and energy framework: negotiations are ongoing between EU institutions on several legislative texts, including the renewable energy directive, the energy efficiency directive and a regulation on the Governance of the Energy Union, a text of particular importance, as it will aim at guaranteeing the achievement of EU climate and energy targets while ensuring policy coherency. Trilogue negotiations started in February 2018 and are expected to continue at least until the summer. The most should be made of this opportunity to implement a coherent and ambitious policy mix in the EU to fulfill its climate commitment under the Paris Agreement.

I4CE and Enerdata define policy options to make the EU climate and energy policy framework consistent the Paris Agreement before 2030, by:

  1. Setting the EU long-term climate targets right, taking into account the goals of the Paris Agreement
  2. Defining a climate and energy policy framework aligned with long-term targets at the EU and national levels
  3. Ensuring the coherency of the policy framework and mitigating counteractive interactions

This report was produced within the framework of the research program COPEC II (COordination of EU Policies for Energy and CO2 by 2030) launched in April 2017. The research program received financial support from public and private sponsors, and was carried out independently by I4CE and Enerdata. The authors take sole responsibility for findings or ideas presented in this report as well as any errors or omissions. Sponsors are not by any means responsible for the content of this publication.

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