According to a new report released by the European Commission, the European Union is on track to reach its 20% renewable target by 2020, having covered 16% of its final energy consumption with renewables in 2014 (16.4% in 2015). However, member states will have to continue their efforts to reach their national goals. In 2014 all EU countries - except the Netherlands - showed a renewable energy share which was equal to or higher than their indicative pathway. In 2015, 25 Member States exceeded their indicative pathways, with some even surpassing their 2020 targets.
The EU as a whole has already achieved its 2020 final energy consumption target, along with its greenhouse gas (GHG) emission target: in 2015, EU GHG emissions were 22% below the 1990 level. Another important trend is that the EU continues to successfully decouple its economic growth from its GHG emissions: over the 1990-2015 period, the EU's combined Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 50%, while total emissions decreased by 22%.
By 2030, the European Union has set a target of at least 27% of renewables in energy consumption. Reaching this target would help reduce GHG emissions to meet the EU target of at least 40% GHG reduction by 2030.