Members of the European Parliament have voted in favour of slashing greenhouse gas emissions by 40 per cent by 2030 in a move that could stimulate work in the renewable energy and energy-efficiency sectors Members of the European Parliament’s environment and industry committees voted in a joint session to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent from 1990 levels by 2030 as part of a package of measures that alsoincluded a target to get 30 per cent of Europe’s energy from renewable sources by 2030. Brussels currently has a target to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent by 2020, as part of an overall goal of reducing emissions by 80 per cent by 2050. The MEPs also approved plans to set a separate target for the reduction of energy use from buildings, which could be as much as much 61 per cent. Fina lapproval for the plans from the European Parliament will now be sought in early February. Politicians and industry leaders hope that setting a target for the reduction of greenhouse gases and increases in energy-efficiency and renewable energy will encourage investment in schemes, such as wind farms and building energy-efficiency retrofits. |