The EU's 2030 Goals for Climate and Energy
While the EU is making good progress towards meeting its climate and energy targets for 2020, an integrated policy framework for the period up to 2030 is needed to ensure a coordinated approach among Member States.
In October 2014, EU leaders agreed about the 2030 policy framework for climate and energy, which aims to make the European Union's economy and energy system more competitive, secure and sustainable and will drive continued progress towards a low-carbon economy.
The main targets of the 2030 framework are:
• Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40%
• Increasing the share of renewable energy to at least 27%
• Increasing energy efficiency by at least 27%
The framework also aims to build a competitive and secure energy system that ensures affordable energy for all consumers, increases the security of the EU's energy supplies, reduces dependence on energy imports and creates new opportunities for growth and jobs.
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40%
The main goal of the framework is the binding target to reduce EU domestic greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40% below the 1990 level by 2030.
This target will ensure that the EU is on the cost-effective track towards meeting its objective of cutting emissions by at least 80% by 2050. To achieve the overall 40% target, the sectors covered by the EU emissions trading system (EU ETS) would have to reduce their emissions by 43% compared to 2005. Emissions from sectors outside the EU ETS would need to be cut by 30% below the 2005 level, which will need to be translated into Member State targets.
Increasing the share of renewable energy to at least 27%
The European Council approved a binding target of increasing the share of renewable energy to at least 27% of the EU's energy consumption by 2030, which will play a key role in the transition towards a competitive, secure and sustainable energy system.
Increasing energy efficiency by at least 27%
The European Commission proposed a 30% energy savings target for 2030, following a review of the Energy Efficiency Directive. The European Council, however, endorsed an indicative target of 27% to be reviewed in 2020 having in mind a 30% target.
Reform of the EU emissions trading system
The EU ETS will be reformed and strengthened. Instead of the declining rate of 1.74% up to 2020, the cap will be declining by 2.2% annually from 2021 onwards, to be able to reach the 43% greenhouse gas reduction target in 2030. Read more about EU ETS.
In January 2014 the Commission proposed to establish a market stability reserve from 2021 onwards to ensure more robust and effective EU ETS in promoting low-carbon investments. This is to address the surplus of emission allowances in the EU ETS that has built up in recent years and to improve the system's resilience to major shocks. The European Council underlined that a reformed, well-functioning ETS will be the main instrument to achieve greenhouse gas emission reductions.
 EU's 2030 Framework for Climate and Energy |