CAN Europe’s new National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) tracker tool has highlighted disparities between national climate and energy commitments and the actual emission reductions by countries.
In the aftermath of the European Commission’s announcement of intending to set a 90% net greenhouse gas emissions reduction target for the entire EU by 2040, this tool reveals that climate action on the ground does not go at the speed needed.
Despite marginal improvements compared to the previous NECPs cycle, the climate and energy trajectories towards 2030 of the new draft NECPs are not in line with the Paris Agreement to keep global temperature to 1.5°C.
In many cases, as also emphasised by the Commission’s assessment last December, the draft plans even fall short of meeting the EU’s own 2030 climate and energy targets, which in itself are insufficient, stated CAN Europe.
“Ambitious NECPs offer Member States a pathway to reap the rewards of accelerated climate action, setting the pace for the 2040 ambition.
“Weak plans and negligence in their implementation are unacceptable at this critical juncture.
“Member States must work together for a safe, affordable, and sustainable present and future,” Chiara Martinelli, director at CAN Europe.
Federico Mascolo, NECPs expert at CAN Europe, added: “Consistency and accuracy of data are paramount for crafting effective policies and engaging stakeholders in planning and decision-making.
“Member States must prioritize enhancing data quality in their NECP updates to be submitted to the European Commission by June 2024 and subsequent 2025 NECP Progress Reports, ensuring alignment across national and EU-level legislation, plans, and official documents.”