BUSINESSEUROPE: FURTHER UNILATERAL EMISSION TARGETS ARE NOT THE WAY FORWARD

BUSINESSEUROPE calls for a new EU approach to tackling the low-carbon challenge by fully integrating EU policies for climate, energy and industry. Within a comprehensive policy framework, European companies can at the same time become more competitive and reduce emissions globally.

A paper published today by the European Commission emphasises the benefits of further increasing the EU’s unilateral greenhouse gas emission targets. But such a move at this point in time would be unlikely to convince other major emitters to adopt comparable targets, which is essential for tackling climate change. Furthermore, it would send the wrong signal especially to energy-intensive industry which has been hit very hard by the economic crisis.

Instead, the EU should focus on policy measures which directly encourage investments in energy efficiency (especially in the household sector) in modern energy infrastructure and in more low-carbon research and development.

BUSINESSEUROPE Director General Philippe de Buck said: “We do need to bring the low-carbon agenda forward. Rather than focusing the discussion on new emission reduction targets the Commission should work on encouraging the development and deployment of low-carbon technologies.”