Decarbonisation in Europe: an open letter from 15 member states
The problem of decarbonisation in Europe is a pressing one, but there are still some complex issues to resolve which require a coordinated effort by the entire EU. In light of this, fifteen member states have signed an open letter, urging the European Commission to publish their long-awaited Heat Pump Action Plan, including a revision of the now obsolete 2016 strategy for the heating and cooling sector.
The signatory nations (Latvia, Austria, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, France, Ireland, Greece, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain), have emphasised the importance of receiving clearly defined political signals regarding the decarbonisation of the air conditioning sector, a crucial element in the fight against climate change.
Decarbonisation in Europe subject to postponements and delays
Last December, the Commission announced the postponement of the Heat Pump Action Plan (which would have established strategies aimed at achieving the target of 10 million new heat pump installations across Europe by 2027) until after the European elections scheduled in the following months.
The EU’s strategy on heating and cooling, published in 2016, not only offers an overview of energy consumption and the mix of fuels used in that sector, it also sets out potential contributions to climate neutrality by 2050.
The letter emphasises the need for immediate action due to the long investment cycles and the invevitable need to involve citizens, consumers and investors in the green energy transition in relation to the heating and air conditioning sector.
What are the signatory states’ requests?
Without decisive action, the member states warn of a ‘significant risk’ of carbon emissions being blocked long term and further problems arising which will be complicated and costly to correct if not tackled by 2030. Shared political decisions and agreement on a rapid plan of action are required in order to achieve decarbonisation in Europe, including:
- an assessment of existing legislative measures;
- the adoption of specific policies;
- public and private funding designed to create stable conditions and enable investment in line with the ‘energy efficiency first’ principle.
Accelerating uptake and increasing demand for renewable solutions for heating and cooling will not only contribute significantly to achieving net zero carbon emissions, but (in the long term), will make the alternatives more affordable for consumers. Furthermore, it will improve the EU’s competitiveness and provide a stable market for key renewable industries, such as the heat pump sector.
In Janurary,19 European organisations from the energy sector (including NGOs, consumer groups and thinktanks), sent a letter to the Commission similar to the one mentioned above, explaining how the failure to release the Heat Pump Action Plan places the green energy transition of the heating/cooling sector at risk.
The European Heat Pump Assocciation also warned of the fact that the postponement of the plan would limit the adoption of this kind of equipment. All this happened while the European market was experiencing a decline in heat pump sales.
The challenges facing the decarbonisation of Europe remain numerous and are further complicated by govermental indecision, as instead of trying to provide acceptible short term solutions, they seem inclined to wait.
This complicates an already delicate climate scenario which if not adequately addressed, risks deterioating further, with catastrophic economic and environmental consequences for all European states.
Translated by Joanne Beckwith
