Mixed energy messages

The messages received from EU institutions on energy and climate change are confusing. After EU leaders trumpeted as a big success their commitment to improve energy efficiency by 20%, to increase the share of renewables in the EU energy mix to 20% by 2020 in order to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide, the Portuguese presidency of the EU now comes with calculations which rubbish the EU leaders’ – and the European Commission’s – previous claims that they are ambitious about tackling climate change (‘Presidency tells EU to cut energy use by 40%’, 29 November-5 December). What are we to understand from all this? Is the Portuguese government right that the 20% target for energy efficiency is insufficient? If so, how did the Commission get the calculations wrong before? Or are the Portuguese more ambitious than the Commission? Does anyone have any proof for what they are saying and to justify the figures they come up with? Is Europe really as ambitious as it claims it is?
In the current figures confusion, it is difficult to decide whom to trust and to realise what is really necessary to combat climate change.

Sergio Barn