The letter argues that EU laws and regulations on energy and buildings have played a leading role in enabling the UK to reduce its emissions of greenhouse gases and to provide global leadership on climate change. Three EU targets for the year 2020 have paved the way for future emission reductions. The signatories say the UK government should now declare that it is sticking to these, as it prepares to commence exit negotiations from the union, to give badly-needed confidence to businesses and investors.
The three EU climate change targets
The three targets are: 15 percent of all energy used for electricity, transport and heating should come from renewable energy sources according to the EU Renewables Energy Directive. UK final energy consumption should fall to 129.2 million tonnes of oil equivalent or less according to the EU Energy Efficiency Directive. All new buildings must be nearly zero energy buildings by the end of 2020 and by the end of 2018 for public buildings according to the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive.
Give confidence to businesses and investors
“Following the referendum, it is now critical that Government restores this already-eroded confidence by giving an assurance that, until the terms of leaving the EU are in place, all relevant EU directives and targets are still in place and the UK Government is legally obliged to continue to meet them”, the letter argues.
Recently UK Solar Trade Association already called on the British government to avoid a crippling tax hike for self-owned commercial rooftop PV with a high amount of self-consumption. (HCN)
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