Brussels, 28/10/2011
If unchanged this text would represent a major step away from the commitments the EU is making internationally, calling into question its credibility with negotiating partners.
In the Cancun agreement resulting from the COP16 talks, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change ( UNFCCC) negotiating parties (including the EU) explicitly referred to the social consequences of the low-carbon transition: “10. Realize(s) that addressing climate change requires a paradigm shift towards building a low-carbon society that offers substantial opportunities and ensures continued high growth and sustainable development, based on innovative technologies and more sustainable production and consumption and lifestyles, while ensuring a just transition of the workforce that creates decent work and quality jobs;” (Cancun Agreement, I. A shared vision for long-term cooperative action, December 2010).
Furthermore, the scenarios totally ignore the EU’s 20-20-20 commitment on -20% energy efficiency – a target seen as crucial for the union movement in the creation of jobs and achievement of overall EU climate and energy goals. As it stands the text would undermine the Commission's support for a 20% energy saving target, as none of the scenarios include achieving the target - neither scenario including EED measures, only 14% savings by 2020, nor the further efficiency scenario, only 17% savings.