With the new European Fit for 55 package, published in July 2021, the European Union has strengthened its goals in the fight against climate change. To achieve the 2050 climate neutrality goal, the 2030 targets have become more stringent:
- 36/37% energy efficiency (up 3.5 percentage points from the previous target)
- 40% use of energy from renewable sources in gross final consumption (32% was the target under the previous directive)
-55% greenhouse gas emissions, compared to 1990 levels (15% higher than in previous plans).
At the national level, the decarbonization pathway is outlined in the PNIEC – National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (December 2019, update in progress), which has a target of using 30% energy from renewable sources and reducing GHG emissions by 51% by 2030. Italian energy efficiency targets are still being redefined.
By 2020, the EU's emission reduction is 34% (exceeding the -20% target in 2020), while for Italy the same figure is 27% (compared to the -21% target in 2020).
The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has highlighted Europe's heavy dependence on imported gas. The European Commission has, in May 2022, published the REPowerEU plan that aims to reduce Europe's dependence on fossil fuels thus accelerating the energy transition. This set of commitments fits within the Fit for 55 package mentioned above, complementing it with additional actions on security of energy supply and energy storage: energy savings, diversification of energy imports, rapid replacement of fossil fuels with clean energy, and smart combination of investments and reforms.
Current climate commitments to 2030 and 2050 remain unchanged, as do targets for renewables and energy efficiency. It is plausible that, at an early stage of the plan, some of the current capacity reserved for coal may be used longer than planned, and nuclear power such as domestic gas resources will play a hedging role.
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