Amid reaction to EC’s low-carbon strategy, talk of ‘loopholes’

The European Commission (EC) has recently proposed national greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets for EU member states between 2021 and 2030. It advises Non-ETS (Emissions Trading System) sectors, like transport, agriculture and waste, to aim for a 30% emissions reduction by 2030 compared to 2005 levels.

The Commission also published a paper titled ‘A European Strategy for Low-Emission Mobility’, which outlines various approaches for the decarbonisation of transport across the continent. "The EU has an ambitious emissions reduction target, one I am convinced we can achieve through the collective efforts of all member states," said EU Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Miguel Arias Cañete. "The national binding targets we are proposing are fair, flexible and realistic. They set the right incentives to unleash investments in sectors like transport, agriculture, buildings and waste management. With these proposals, we are showing that we have done our homework and that we keep our promises."

However, the plans have been heavily criticised for failing to take into account emissions from the aviation and shipping sectors, while some experts have also suggested that the targets for automotive are too relaxed.