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| EU plans 'industrial revolution' | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The European Commission is due to demand a new "industrial revolution" when it unveils a wide-ranging set of proposals on energy and climate issues. | |
| The EU's civil service wants more investment in renewable energy, arguing that the old fuels have a political as well as clear environmental cost. | The EU's civil service wants more investment in renewable energy, arguing that the old fuels have a political as well as clear environmental cost. |
| The need has been given greater urgency by Russia's oil row with Belarus, which has hit EU states Germany and Poland. | The need has been given greater urgency by Russia's oil row with Belarus, which has hit EU states Germany and Poland. |
| The report is expected to demand 20% of energy comes from renewables by 2020. | The report is expected to demand 20% of energy comes from renewables by 2020. |
| Without such investment and energy efficiency measures, the report predicts that EU energy imports will rise from 50% of consumption to 65% by 2030, requiring increased reliance on potentially unpredictable sources. | Without such investment and energy efficiency measures, the report predicts that EU energy imports will rise from 50% of consumption to 65% by 2030, requiring increased reliance on potentially unpredictable sources. |
| EU - emissions and energy | EU - emissions and energy |
| While the report remains neutral on the issue of nuclear power, it does warn that any significant reduction - as planned by some EU states - will make the other objective of cutting greenhouse gas harder. | While the report remains neutral on the issue of nuclear power, it does warn that any significant reduction - as planned by some EU states - will make the other objective of cutting greenhouse gas harder. |
| It is anticipated that the commission will call for a 20% reduction in such gas emissions by 2020. | It is anticipated that the commission will call for a 20% reduction in such gas emissions by 2020. |
| The report is also due to include measures to open up the EU's energy market, enabling the bloc's 500m citizens to buy their gas or electricity from anywhere in Europe. | The report is also due to include measures to open up the EU's energy market, enabling the bloc's 500m citizens to buy their gas or electricity from anywhere in Europe. |
| Analysts anticipate these are likely to cause some controversy. | Analysts anticipate these are likely to cause some controversy. |
| The package of measures will have to be approved by European governments before it can come into force. | The package of measures will have to be approved by European governments before it can come into force. |
| The launch will come at 1230 local time in Brussels (1130 GMT) at the end of a meeting of commissioners from the various European directorates. | The launch will come at 1230 local time in Brussels (1130 GMT) at the end of a meeting of commissioners from the various European directorates. |
| Road block | Road block |
| In recent years the EU has been the most powerful political voice urging targets on reducing greenhouse gas emissions beyond the current Kyoto period, which expires in 2012. | In recent years the EU has been the most powerful political voice urging targets on reducing greenhouse gas emissions beyond the current Kyoto period, which expires in 2012. |
| But at the latest UN climate meeting its attempts to get new targets debated met with failure. The Commission is now likely to urge that all developed countries across the world adopt a goal of cuts in the order of 30% by 2020. | But at the latest UN climate meeting its attempts to get new targets debated met with failure. The Commission is now likely to urge that all developed countries across the world adopt a goal of cuts in the order of 30% by 2020. |
| Critics say that demand is unfair because people in India and China pollute a fraction as much as individuals as those in the West. | Critics say that demand is unfair because people in India and China pollute a fraction as much as individuals as those in the West. |
| The EU's principle tool for achieving cuts within the union itself would be an enhanced Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS). | The EU's principle tool for achieving cuts within the union itself would be an enhanced Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS). |
| But that only affects businesses, leaving emissions from road transport and domestic heat and power unaffected. | But that only affects businesses, leaving emissions from road transport and domestic heat and power unaffected. |
| A voluntary agreement under which car manufacturers promised to increase the efficiency of their products has not produced the results which the Commission wanted, and it may now propose a mandatory regime. | A voluntary agreement under which car manufacturers promised to increase the efficiency of their products has not produced the results which the Commission wanted, and it may now propose a mandatory regime. |
| On the business side, the Commission is likely to propose an enhanced "unbundling" of energy supply across the continent in a bid to increase competition. | On the business side, the Commission is likely to propose an enhanced "unbundling" of energy supply across the continent in a bid to increase competition. |
| In the last three years it has raided the offices of energy firms it believed were operating uncompetitively, and warned 17 member states for failing to implement competition legislation; but it is poised now to go further. | In the last three years it has raided the offices of energy firms it believed were operating uncompetitively, and warned 17 member states for failing to implement competition legislation; but it is poised now to go further. |
| New measures could also include breaking up the ownership of energy businesses to avoid conflicts of interest. | New measures could also include breaking up the ownership of energy businesses to avoid conflicts of interest. |
| It may propose that companies generating electricity and distributing it would not be permitted to have owners in common; gas production companies would be divorced from pipeline operators. | It may propose that companies generating electricity and distributing it would not be permitted to have owners in common; gas production companies would be divorced from pipeline operators. |
| Ministers are likely to debate the Commission's proposals in March. | Ministers are likely to debate the Commission's proposals in March. |