The current Energy Efficiency Directive (EED), adopted in 2012, establishes a binding target calling for the EU to reach 20% energy efficiency by 2020, and in 2014 member states called for a suggested increase to at least 27%. 

The EED targets are due to be revised before 2020, and the European Commission’s proposal for the revision will be released later this year between September and December. In light of the upcoming revision of the EED, the European Parliament voted on a resolution on June 23^rd regarding the implementation report of the EED.¹

Last week the EP affirmed the call for a legally binding 40% energy efficiency target for 2030 to be included in the EED implementation report.

Markus Pieper (EPP), rapporteur on energy efficiency at the industry committee (ITRE), has been pushing to limit the ambition to no more than 30%, calling it an “obstacle to EU growth”.²

However, MEPs have repeatedly rejected his amendments to limit ambition and have succeeded in achieving a 40% energy efficiency target by parliamentary majority.

MEPs have stressed the importance of the EED in achieving EU climate and energy targets, and the Parliament felt that the 20% target lacks the ambition necessary to achieve the EU’s commitments to the Paris Agreement.

MEPs identified the 2020 deadline of the Directive’s targets to be its greatest weakness, and thus are urging for targets to be extended to 2030 and beyond.

The Parliament also stressed the urgency in accelerating the EU’s transition towards more sustainable energy systems that are based on renewable energy sources, and to begin the divestment from fossil fuels by developing plans to phase out fossil fuel subsidies in order to achieve the EU’s goal to decarbonise the energy sector by 2050.

HCWH Europe now looks forward to seeing the European Commission follow the EP’s resolution by demonstrating the same level of ambition, so the EU can comply with its commitment, and fulfil expectations as a climate leader in enacting the Paris Agreement.

From energy used to power hospital buildings and equipment, to the energy used for the production of medical products and other services such as transportation, the health sector requires an enormous amount of energy to carry out all of its daily activities. This is why the health sector has the capacity to make a real climate impact through energy saving, and to lead by example in implementing energy efficiency policies to achieve 40% energy efficiency by 2030. This is only one of the many tools the health sector can adopt to reduce its climate footprint, and to stay true to its duty to "do no harm" to human health.

Learn more about hospitals and health systems reducing their emissions as part of the Global Green and Healthy Hospitals (GGHH) network.

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Previous news post: https://noharm-europe.org/articles/news/europe/more-european-ambition-energy-efficiency

HCWH Climate & Energy news: https://noharm-europe.org/content/europe/climate-energy-news

Reducing the Climate Footprint: https://noharm-europe.org/documents/reducing-climate-footprint-eu%E2%80%99s-legislative-framework-and-healthcare-sector-0

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