Federal Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel commented as follows on the proposals made by the EU Commission for energy and climate policies in Europe:
"The energy and climate package of the EU Commission is a sound basis for the preparation of the European energy and climate protection action plan, the adoption of which is planned to take place on the Council's spring summit 2007.
Energy supply and use in Europe has to make a larger contribution to climate protection. Increased energy efficiency and a wider use of renewable energy sources, as proposed by the EU Commission, are the right answer to the energy policy challenges we are facing. Furthermore, the EU has to decrease its dependencies in the energy supply sector. The Commission is right in stating that considerable progress has to be made in this field – in the interest of the consumers as well as in the interest of maintaining Europe’s industrial competitiveness.
We want to make Europe the most energy efficient region in the world. Innovations, modern technologies, more mileage from every litre petrol, more heating capacity from every cubic metre gas and more use out of every kilowatt hour electric power - those are the tasks ahead. If less coal, oil and gas are used it will leave people with more money in their pockets. Last year's action plan of the Commission stipulates an increase in energy efficiency of 20 per cent by the year 2020. We support this ambitious target and will carefully examine the Commission's proposal for an international framework agreement on energy efficiency.
Climate protection is a core European policy field. Therefore the proposal of the Commission is right in asking for a greater commitment by the industrialised countries within the framework of the future development of the Kyoto Protocol to a joint reduction of their greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent by 2020 as compared to 1990 levels. I support the Commission proposal to lay down a European wide reduction target for emissions now of at least 20 per cent by 2020, regardless of the outcome of the international Kyoto negotiations. This would be a clear indication that Europe will keep up its leading role in climate protection and it would be a clear signal to all investors in the European energy sector: Europe will, at any rate, step up its efforts in the field of climate protection. The eight percent reduction target for greenhouse gas emissions valid until 2012 will see a marked increase for the year 2020. Apart from the increase in energy efficiency and the increased use of renewable energy sources this will also imply a forced development of CO2-free coal-fired power stations.
Furthermore, Europe needs to rely more on renewable energy sources. Therefore I support the proposed binding target for the whole of Europe to increase the share of renewable energies in Europe’s primary energy consumption to 20 per cent by 2020. The energy mix issue, i.e. if and to what extent nuclear power is going to be used, is a matter for the member states to decide. The Commission stated this correctly and clearly.
For the internal electricity and gas market it will be important that it is kept completely open and free of any discrimination for all competing enterprises. This also concerns the question as to whether the complete ownership unbundling, which was a proposed option, is necessary and a sufficient provision to create both more competitiveness and supply security. Other options, as for example granting regulators of the European energy market more decision-making authority, will have to be carefully discussed.
The current conflict between Russia and Belarus has particularly highlighted the need for Europe to decrease its dependencies and give its joint energy policy a new direction. More energy efficiency, more renewable energies, more competition and a more intensive international cooperation are the right answers to the challenges we are facing."