18-03-2014
200 European cities and regions call for more ambitious EU climate and energy targets
ICLEI members are among 200 European cities and regions calling on the European Union to place ambitious and binding targets at the heart of its 2030 Climate and Energy Package, which is currently under negotiation. In a call for action authored jointly by ICLEI and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), local and regional governments underline their eagerness to implement a sustainable, socially just and ecologically sound energy strategy. They ask the EU to support them with strong targets and support, which will help shelter future generations from the worst effects of climate change.
The document calls on the EU to enact mandated greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets measuring at least 50 percent below the level in 1990. It further calls for a share of 40 percent of energy from renewable sources and a 40 percent reduction in energy use by 2030. As well as binding and ambitious greenhouse gas reduction targets, it asks the EU to support and empower local governments in achieving these measures.
For local governments, EU leadership in this area is essential as it bolsters their ability to enact green energy policies. “Renewable energy and energy efficiency targets matter - they have a significant influence on the national and regional policy development and deployment of new and innovative energy technologies,” explains Marijan Maras, Head of Office for Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development in the City of Zagreb (Croatia).
