Bringing The July 2016 Climate Package To Life

With the EU’s ratification of the Paris Agreement in record time and its expected entry into force beginning of November 2016, the necessary framework for making Europe’s transition to a Low Carbon Economy a reality is now in place. The EU’s ratification was indeed the first essential step for reviving confidence in the EU’s capacity to achieve its political commitments, which was essential. Delaying concrete policy measures in Europe or reducing their level of ambition are now no longer an option.

As the above mentioned Commission Communication correctly states “the global transition to a low carbon and circular economy has begun.... If Europe does not maintain and exploit its first mover advantage when fostering renewable energy, energy efficiency and competing on the development of other low carbon technology markets globally, other regions will”.

Energy efficiency in particular is increasingly acknowledged as an energy source in its own right at world level. Global investment in energy efficiency increased by 6% from 2014 to 2015, so the International Energy Agency’s 2016 Energy Efficiency Market Report. Though it is of concern to us that, as confirmed by the IEA findings, this growth is happening much quicker outside Europe and that the PR of China has been identified as “the global energy efficiency heavyweight”.

Europe’s true challenge therefore is to translate its energy and climate commitments into reality at home! Therefore, we call on European and national regulators to urgently cascade the EU’s international obligations into concrete policy measures here and thereby keep the momentum of reinstalling Europe’s leadership on global energy and climate change policies.

Technologies manufactured in Europe are ready!