Energetica India nº91 July August 2020

Kadri Simson Commissioner for Energy, European Commission “By this September 2020, the Commission will present its 2030 Climate Target Plan, which will indicate the ex- tent to which the 2030 level of ambition for renewable energy should be increased to support the higher am- bition for GHG reductions and may point at specific sectors and specific renewables-related measures that could deliver on this higher ambition.” E nergetica I ndia : In a recent report, we learned that the EU is set to slightly surpass 2030 renewable energy goals. Can you please elaborate more on this development? K adri S imson : Our preliminary assess- ment of the national energy and climate plans (NECPs) presented by the EU Member States for the period 2021- 2030 indicates that the EU as a whole might reach a share of renewables of 33%, slightly above the formal 2030 tar- get of 32%. In any case, if the EU is to fulfill its climate goals and its objective of becoming a fully decarbonized econ- omy by 2050, we need to bet strongly on renewables. With the energy sector responsible for more than 75% of the EU greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), renewable energy has a key role in cost-effectively tackling climate change, while enhancing energy security, creat- ing growth and jobs, reducing pollution and strengthening EU industrial and technological leadership and indepen- dence. All these elements are at the core of the European Green Deal and the post-COVID-19 Economic Recovery Package. As part of the Green Deal, the Commission has committed itself to ana- lyze whether it is possible to increase the EU’s 2030 GHG reduction target from 40% to at least 50-55%, compared with 1990 levels. To fulfill this increased ambi - tion, the Commission will review current energy and climate legislation including the 2018 Renewable Energy Directive. By this September 2020, the Commis- sion will present its 2030 Climate Tar- get Plan, which will indicate the extent to which the 2030 level of ambition for renewable energy should be increased to support the higher ambition for GHG reductions and may point at specific Energetica India catches up with Kadri Simson, Commissioner for Energy, European Commission to learn more about European Union’s achievement and future plans for renewable energy. 22 energetica INDIA- July-Aug_2020 INTERVIEW