MEPs urge free energy audits for all homeowners
Governments should provide free “energy audits” for all homeowners to help them save money and the environment, a report by MEPs said today.
The idea is contained in a report published at the end of a 10-month study by a temporary European Parliament committee on climate change.
The document, overwhelmingly approved in a 570-78 vote in Strasbourg, says a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of between 25-40% must be achieved by 2020 to keep to the target of limiting global warming to no more than 2C.
EU governments have agreed a target of 20% cuts in CO2 emissions by 2020, but have vowed to increase that to 30% if the rest of the developed world - particularly the USA – does the same.
The MEPs also want a CO2 reduction of 80% by 2050.
The report says: “Climate change is both more rapid and more serious in terms of its adverse effects than was previously thought”.
And it questions whether keeping global warming below a 2C rise would now achieve the goal of avoiding “dangerous” climate change.
The MEPs also call for the creation of “solar energy partnerships” with non-EU countries in the Mediterranean area; a target of “zero-energy” performance in new residential buildings by 2015 and by 2020 in new commercial and public buildings; specific CO2 reduction targets for the agricultural sector; an EU-wide “supergrid” accessible to all forms of electricity providers; and incentives to encourage the public to cut emissions, such as by developing information on the carbon content of products and services.
“Member states should provide free energy audits to enable citizens to cut their energy use and reduce emissions,” said Dutch Socialist MEP Dorette Corbey. “We need to have the people on board in all our efforts to fight climate change.”
The European Commission said the MEPs’ ideas were “in line with Commission thinking”.
Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas said. “We need to work together and mobilise all our resources to ensure a strong and effective agreement is reached at the Copenhagen climate conference in December.”
He said the EU had set an example by proposing putting in place measures to cut its emissions by 20% and by agreeing to raise the cut to 30% if other developed countries do the same.
“I am very pleased to see the explicit recognition throughout the report that the financial and economic crisis is no reason to postpone action against climate change. Delay will only make it harder and more costly to reduce emissions later,” he added.
