On January 22, the EU Commission published a white paper policy framework for climate and energy for the period from 2020–2030, setting a cut in carbon emissions by 40 percent below the 1990 level in 2030. This nearly doubles the current EU target of a 20 percent reduction by 2020. At the same time, the Commission seeks a renewable energy target of at least 27 percent of the EU energy supply by 2030. The target applies to the EU as a whole. Individual member states will not have individual targets. The expectation is that the 40 percent target by 2030 will keep the EU on track for a minimum 80 percent greenhouse gas reduction by 2050 and will contribute to future international commitments to reduce global warming. This target will assist in the framework for EU climate energy policies through to 2030. The proposal has been published ahead of the EU leaders' summit in March 2013 with a view to the 40 percent reduction target being endorsed by the leaders. That way, the EU would have an agreed target set prior to the climate summit in New York in the fall of this year. The 40 percent reduction target would be based on the EU's own greenhouse gas emissions and, specifically, would not include reductions in non-EU emissions users' offsets.
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