EU aims to cut emissions to zero by 2050
PR dla Zagranicy
Grzegorz Siwicki
28.11.2018 21:00
The European Commission on Wednesday announced a new plan for Europe to cut carbon emissions to zero by 2050 in a bid to combat climate change.
European Commission Vice-President for Energy Union Maroš Šefčovič (left) and Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Miguel Arias Cañete give a press conference on the long-term strategic vision for "A Clean Planet for All" in Brussels, Belgium, on Wednesday. Photo: EPA/STEPHANIE LECOCQ
According to the Commission’s website, the long-term vision “shows how Europe can lead the way to climate neutrality.”
The European Commission's Vice-President for the Energy Union, Maroš Šefčovič, said that the “strategy now shows that by 2050, it is realistic to make Europe both climate neutral and prosperous.”
Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Miguel Arias Cañete said: "Going climate neutral is necessary, possible and in Europe's interest. It is necessary to meet the long-term temperature goals of the Paris Agreement.”
The Commission is expected to unveil the details of its new plan at the COP24 United Nations conference on climate change in Katowice, southern Poland, in December.
The summit, due to run from December 2 to 14, will focus on progress made in carrying out the 2015 Paris climate agreement and in moving away from energy sources such as coal in favour of "clean" energy.
Meanwhile, under a plan drafted by Poland’s Energy Ministry, the country aims to reduce coal to 30 percent of its energy mix by 2040. Coal is now the source of 80 percent of Poland’s gross energy consumption.
The country also aims to start producing its own nuclear energy by 2033 and invest in an offshore wind farm programme.
According to the ministry’s plan, renewable energy sources should constitute 21 percent of the country’s energy mix by 2030.
(tf/gs)