Energy Saving News
EU Targets Ambitious Carbon Emissions Reduction
A recent draft European Union letter has shown that the EU intends to stick to the offer made during the UN talks last month to cut CO2 emissions to one fifth below 1990 levels over the next 10 years.
The letter, intended for top UN Climate Official Yvo de Boer, states: "The EU and its member states are committed to an independent quantified economy-wide emissions reduction target of 20% by 2020, compared to 1990 levels."
Furthermore, the letter added that "The EU reiterates its conditional offer to move to a 30% reduction by 2020 compared to 1990 levels, provided that other developed countries commit themselves to comparable emission reductions and that developing countries contribute adequately."
Should all 27 EU States approve the letter, it is due to be sent next week.
With such ambitious targets, the EU has to envisage switching to energy efficiency for its industrial and public sectors, as it is the most cost-effective way of achieving substantial carbon reductions, according to Ken Cheyne, Council Member of the Energy Saving Association (ESA).
"Saving energy is literally an infallible way of reducing the quantity of carbon that businesses pump into the atmosphere, knowing that the industrial sector alone is responsible for a third of total global emissions. So not only is saving energy beneficial for the environment and an ally to governments who have set themselves carbon reduction targets, but it also implies that business owners will be saving money by upgrading their excessively energy-consuming inefficient equipment with energy efficient solutions. It's a win-win situation," explains Mr. Cheyne.
Indeed, in order to meet their 30% reduction target, the EU will be creating new policies to achieve carbon reduction, such as regulations imposing energy efficient upgrades for the industrial and public sectors.
Several systems could be used to achieve this result, such as implementing financial penalties for companies that fail to comply to the new standards set, or by encouraging green upgrades with rewards in the form of monetary bonuses, for example.
Faced with the upcoming new standards, businesses both in the EU and worldwide are going to be making efforts to cut their carbon output in order to contribute to achieving governmental targets, enhance their green credentials and save money in the form of reduced energy bills.
It is expected that the EU will elaborate on the details of its plan of action regarding the measures to reduce CO2 emissions in the near future.
Friday 22nd January 2010
