Parliament calls for greater focus on energy efficiency national action plans
Monday, 23 February 2009 17:10 | 
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A report on the follow up of national energy efficiency action plans (NEEAPs) prepared by András Gyürk, a Hungarian EPP-ED MEP, was approved during a plenary session in Brussels (616 in favour, 24 against and 17 abstentions). It is critical of the fact that national action plans have not been submitted by Member States yet, warning this may ‘endanger the attainment of the EU's efficiency and climate protection objectives’.
The report finds that up to 20% of energy is lost to inefficiency, and that by meeting its targets the EU could save up to 860Mt of CO2 emissions a year. There are therefore various proposals in the paper which are suggested to improve energy efficiency and make these necessary savings and also calls for the Commission to make the 20% energy efficiency target by 2020 ‘legally binding as part of the assessment it must prepare on the progress of the Community towards this target.’
National authorities should strive to go beyond their 9% energy saving target by 2016, and to become more ambitious, whilst the NEEAPs should help to provide the framework for the 20% improvement in energy efficiency by 2020. One of the most important sectors where such improvements need to be made according to the report is in residential buildings, where financial support is needed to help modernise one of the most energy-wasteful sectors.
Passing tougher emission targets for the car industry into law is another area which needs to be addressed in the very near future according to MEPs, who are disappointed that the proposed limit on cars of 95g CO2 by 2020 has not been enforced yet.
Given the greater difficulty facing SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) of complying with regulations set out in National Action Plans, the Parliament has also called on national authorities to place a special emphasis on how they are going to promote and support energy efficiency investments on the part of SMEs. Since rising energy prices can result in greater poverty, the report urges the development and promotion of long-term energy-efficiency awareness campaigns as well.
The report finds that up to 20% of energy is lost to inefficiency, and that by meeting its targets the EU could save up to 860Mt of CO2 emissions a year. There are therefore various proposals in the paper which are suggested to improve energy efficiency and make these necessary savings and also calls for the Commission to make the 20% energy efficiency target by 2020 ‘legally binding as part of the assessment it must prepare on the progress of the Community towards this target.’
National authorities should strive to go beyond their 9% energy saving target by 2016, and to become more ambitious, whilst the NEEAPs should help to provide the framework for the 20% improvement in energy efficiency by 2020. One of the most important sectors where such improvements need to be made according to the report is in residential buildings, where financial support is needed to help modernise one of the most energy-wasteful sectors.
Passing tougher emission targets for the car industry into law is another area which needs to be addressed in the very near future according to MEPs, who are disappointed that the proposed limit on cars of 95g CO2 by 2020 has not been enforced yet.
Given the greater difficulty facing SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) of complying with regulations set out in National Action Plans, the Parliament has also called on national authorities to place a special emphasis on how they are going to promote and support energy efficiency investments on the part of SMEs. Since rising energy prices can result in greater poverty, the report urges the development and promotion of long-term energy-efficiency awareness campaigns as well.
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