The EU Reaches Agreement on Renewable Energy by 2030

EU negotiators reached a political agreement today, Thursday, on more ambitious targets for expanding the use of renewable energy by 2030, marking an important pillar in the bloc's plans to combat climate change and stop using Russian fossil fuels. European Parliament member Markus Pieper wrote on Twitter that EU countries and the European Parliament agreed that the 27-member bloc will obtain 42.5 percent of its energy from renewable sources such as wind and solar power by 2030. The political agreement is now awaiting approval from the European Parliament and EU countries to become law. Typically, these votes are formal, and the agreement is approved without changes. The new law will replace the current EU target of having a 32 percent share of renewable energy by 2030. The rapid transition to renewable energy is crucial for the EU to achieve its climate goals, including a legally binding target to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by 55 percent by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. The renewable energy targets have gained additional significance since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, with the EU committing to ending its reliance on Russian fossil fuels by 2027, largely planning to do so through locally produced low-carbon energy.