News

EU to meet 2020 greenhouse-gas goal early

October 29, 2014

The EU is set to overachieve on its climate targets for 2020, the European Environment Agency has said, with greenhouse gas emissions falling 1.8% in 2013.

The EEA report for 2013 indicates the EU is just 1% off its aim to cut emissions 20% on 1990 levels by 2020. The report says member states could make overall reductions of 24% on the 1990 baseline by the end of the decade with extra measures such as carbon market reform and new energy efficiency rules.
 
EU transport CO2 emissions – excluding aviation and shipping – also fell 1.3% in 2013 and have now fallen almost 11% since 2007. They are still 14% above 1990 levels though.
 
If existing policies remain in place, EU GHG emissions will decline to 21% below the 1990 baseline by 2020. However, six countries, Austria, Belgium, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg and Spain, are still not on track to meet their share of the 2020 target in sectors such as building, agriculture and transport. Nine countries, including the UK, Czech Republic, are making progress towards all three targets, up from just four in 2012.

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