(26 October 2021) – Together with the annual State of the Energy Union Report, the Commission today adopted three reports on the progress of EU climate policies in 2020.
The State of the Energy Union Report shows that renewables overtook fossil fuels as the number one power source in the EU for the first time in 2020, generating 38% of electricity, compared to 37% for fossil fuels.
To date, 9 EU Member States have already phased out coal, 13 others have committed to a phase-out date, and 4 are considering possible timelines.
Compared to 2019, EU27 greenhouse gas emissions in 2020 fell by almost 10%, an unprecedented drop in emissions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which brought overall emission reductions to 31%, compared to 1990. Primary energy consumption declined by 1.9% and final energy consumption by 0.6% last year.
However, both figures are above the trajectory required to meet the EU’s 2020 and 2030 targets, and efforts need to continue to address this issue at Member State and EU level.