EU halfway there and on target

2020 will mark three decades since the first IPCC report, and three decades until the deadline for EU states to decarbonise. This halfway point represents a point of progress, and the good news is that the 2050 target might be met.

A report from climate not-for-profit think tank Sandbag states that Europe has the policies to halve its emissions by 2030, compared to 1990, which would mean that the 2050 target could be reached well ahead of time.

The main difference between predictions in the report and the EC’s Long-term Strategy modelling (estimating reductions of 46 per cent to 2030) is that Sandbag has included the announced coal phase-outs and a 2040 coal phase-out for countries with no announcements yet.

However, the report has modelled a ‘moderate’ scenario (creating a 53 per cent reduction) and if a more ‘advanced’ scenario is used the reduction could be a 58 per cent cut. This assumes a coal phase-out dates, energy efficiency, renewable energy penetration, electric vehicle penetration and carbon pricing. Emissions reductions higher than this are also possible under even more stringent changes.

Full report.

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