October 1, 2014 View all publications A Friends of the Earth guide to the benefits to Ireland of a stronger EU 2030 energy savings target PDF 2.01mb | Download Now Nobody can doubt the benefits of an ambitious energy efficiency target for 2030. EU gas imports are expected to fall by just 9% with a 25% efficiency target, but by 22% with a 30% target and by 40% with a 40% target. As the Financial Times puts it, roof insulation is “Europe’s secret weapon” against dependency on imported gas. New data also predicts big economic and employment gains with higher ambition (you will see detailed numbers for Ireland in this briefing). Europe currently wastes €500 billion a year on oil and gas imports. Far better to invest that money in energy efficiency and renewables! What about the costs? We now know the European Commission used three different methods to calculate the costs of the 2030 efficiency target. But it only published the most expensive method (an obsolete approach used as far back as 2003). If you believe the Commission’s published version, drilling for oil in Iraq on the edge of Islamic State territory is a safer investment than building zero-energy homes in Europe. It’s absurd! But when more rational cost and risk assumptions are applied, the costs of the Commission’s proposed 30% target fall by up to €600 billion. You can see the details on page seven.We’re convinced this points to one conclusion: member states must support three fair and adequate and binding targets for 2030 for greenhouse gas emissions, energy efficiency and renewables.Tre obiettivi vincolanti! Categorised in: Climate Change Energy