Liz Lynne hails EU renewables package agreement

4.42.30pm GMT Tue 9th Dec 2008

Liz Lynne, the LibDem MEP for the West Midlands has today welcomed the deal struck between the European Parliament and representatives on the 27 Member States over the Renewable Energy Directive.

The directive is the first of the four parts of the original "climate change package", announced by the European Commission in January of this year, to be agreed by all the institutions involved. It sets the goal of increasing renewable energy's share of the market to 20% by 2020, from around 8.5% today, by means of binding national targets (15% for the UK). For all countries, 10% of energy used in transport will have to come from renewables.

Criteria for biofuels have been strengthened by MEPs compared to the original proposal, with tighter protection of habitats and biodiversity and a requirement that biofuels achieve a real improvement of up to 60% in CO2 emissions by 2017. The effects of indirect changes to land use will be factored in. Electric cars will count double as will advanced technology biofuels. Member States will be required to promote energy efficiency as a way of reducing their total energy requirements and making their renewables targets easier to achieve.

Liz Lynne said:

"The target whereby 20% of the EU's total energy consumed must come from renewable sources by 2020 is safe and cannot be opened up by the review in 2014 of how well various mechanisms are working.

"I am very pleased that biofuels will only count towards the target if they fulfill much-strengthened criteria.

"Furthermore, at a time when unemployment is rising everywhere, this deal is positive for industry. Member States will now have to invest seriously in renewable technology to achieve their targets and this will lead to the creation of many green collar jobs, particularly in the UK which has lagged behind to date and indeed sought loopholes during the negotiations.

"Getting agreement on the renewables part of the climate package is a welcome boost. But what must absolutely not happen is for the French presidency to renege on the agreement reached this morning by reopening up the issue in the European Summit later this week. It might be tempting to placate more reluctant Member States to accept the more difficult parts of the climate change package, notably the Emissions Trading Scheme, but that would jeopardise a deal that has been long in the making and is an essential element in the fight against climate change and energy insecurity."