The Commissions hopes to achieve a 20% cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 through a raft of new energy plans which it likens to a new industrial revolution. The proposals include:
- an EU-wide energy market, which the commission claims would trigger investment in energy
- a binding target for 20% of energy to be supplied from renewable sources by 2020
- a requirement for transport fuels to contain 10% biofuel by 2020
- a requirement for primary energy use to be reduced by 20%
- an increase in the annual budget for energy research by 50%.
Although it is too early to tell what effect the proposals will have, environmentalists have already raised concerns over the measures, arguing that the targets are too weak and that a nod to nuclear energy and the need for US support may cause problems.
