Europe must ramp up its efforts to decarbonise, even amid the COVID-19 pandemic, urged the European Renewable Energies Federation (EREF).
“We vigorously advocate that the European Commission keeps up its tremendous ambition [for achieving the] European Green Deal,” the EU renewables association said in a statement, released at the 11th Petersberg Climate Dialogue in Berlin on Tuesday.
The European Green Deal is aiming for a bloc-wide goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050, and a 50%-55% cut in emissions by 2030, compared with 1990 levels.
In its statement, the EREF urged world leaders to “intrinsically tie” recovery stimulus packages to the Green Deal’s initiatives and restart economies with a focus on deploying renewable energies across all sectors.
The body said that integrating economic stimulus and the Green Deal would result in direct investments in innovative and carbon-neutral solutions.
“This is the most cost-effective route to economic recovery – both at national and international levels,” ERER said.
“At the same time, it works towards the further establishment of a secure and 100% renewable energy system in the 2050 timeframe,” the body added.