Three components have been identified to achieve the goals of Low Carbon Economy, viz. GHG Emission's reduction to significant level, Increasing share of renewables in energy mix and improving energy effieciency to much higher level., Since 1990, European Union is making real efforts to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. Among European Nations, over past two decades,carbon emissions have gone down by 16%, whereas the economy has grown by 40% over the same period. If current policies are fully implemented, the EU is on track to achieve its targets for 2020 of reducing emissions to 20% below 1990 levels and raising the share of renewables in its energy mix to 20%. Furthermore, Nations of European Union are currently only halfway towards the third goal of Low Carbon Economy for 2020, that is in improving energy efficiency by 20%. Much greater efforts will be needed to meet this target.
With the defined Roadmap for moving to a competitive low-carbon economy in 2050, the European Commission is looking beyond these 2020 objectives and setting out a plan to meet the long-term target of reducing domestic emissions by 80 to 95% by mid-century as agreed by European Heads of State and governments. It shows how the sectors responsible for Europe's emissions such as power generation, industry, transport, buildings and construction, as well as agriculture can make the transition to a low-carbon economy over the coming decades.
Dr. Jagdish P. N. Giri,
Project Director - Aaditya Science Literacy Mission, The Science Age,
www.aslm.in , www.thescienceage.com
Executive Director - Aaditya Energy Foundation, India
www.aadityaenergyfoundation.org