The European Commission has recently published a green paper titled ‘A 2030 framework for climate and energy policies’. In that document, the Commission formulated a number of questions for public consultation. This PBL Note summarises the view of PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency on those questions.
Decarbonisation requires more than a greenhouse gas emission target
In a recent study, PBL and Ecofys examined possible options for the most cost-effective path towards a low-carbon economy in 2050. By following an integrated approach and a long-term perspective, and by starting from the ambition of realising a low-carbon economy by 2050, the study investigated possible policy designs for 2030. An approach with complementary targets for greenhouse gas emission reduction, energy efficiency improvement and low-carbon innovation may be preferred, from a long-term perspective of decarbonisation. This is to ensure that policies are developed that address the different market failures that hamper progress towards a low-carbon economy.
