The European Commission is due to publish its ‘winter package’ of Energy Union proposals tomorrow, which are likely to show that Europe is counting on gas imports to improve its energy security, despite the fact that domestic renewable energy and energy efficiency are the most effective ways of doing so, according to World Wildlife Fund’s European Policy Office.
The Commission’s push for gas clearly undermines the EU’s claims to be a ” climate leader” and its credibility in international climate diplomacy, as well as Commission President Juncker’s stated ambition to make the EU ”world number one in renewable energies,” WWF said.
In a new briefing published today, WWF criticises the lack of clarity in the Juncker’s ambition on renewables. There are no clear criteria nor a strategy for achieving this beyond the already agreed, unambitious targets.
“The Commission is backing the wrong horse: unlike gas, renewable energy does not need to be imported, and it brings major economic and climate benefits by creating jobs and cutting greenhouse gas emissions,” said Imke Lübbeke, Head of Climate and Energy at WWF European Policy Office.
“President Juncker pledged to make Europe a renewable energy leader, yet the EU is rapidly losing ground to competitor economies. While global investment in renewables grew last year, in Europe such investment was at its lowest since 2006, and concentrated in just a handful of EU Member States.”
In its briefing, ‘Measuring world leadership on renewable energy,’ WWF analyses the different ways of measuring European renewable energy ‘leadership,’ such as investments, attractiveness of the market, new capacity, job creation and integration with other policy areas.
WWF calls on the Commission to draw up a Roadmap showing clear steps and a timetable for moving away from fossil fuels – including gas – and achieving renewable energy world leadership. The EU must also shore up investor confidence in renewables by strengthening its 2030 target and putting in place robust measures to achieve it.
Member States must take account of the strong contribution energy efficiency and renewables can make to security of supply in their forthcoming assessments, WWF said.