The climate challenge for the energy system

Abstract

If dangerous and irreversible climatic events are to be avoided, global averagetemperature should not increase by more than 2 C above pre-industrial levels(European Parliament and the Council 2009). Meinshausen et al. (2009) show thatin order to achieve such a global target, a mitigation pathway has to limit globalemissions to about 70% below 1990 levels by 2050. There is thus a clear need forimmediate binding commitments on greenhouse gas emission reductions in the post-Kyoto period. While the Copenhagen accord (affirmed by COP 16 in Cancun)recognized the need for deep cuts in emissions, within the UNFCCC framework(UNFCCC 2009, 2010), it has so proved impossible to obtain agreement on bindingcommitments with respect to quantification of reduction levels.The lack of global consensus did not deter the EU from acting alone. In an effort toestablish binding commitments to emission reduction, the EU introduced a ‘‘climateand energy package’’ at the end of 2008 (European Commission 2008). The newlegislation obliges Austria and other EU member states to implement several policychanges. Thus:• The ‘‘EU climate and energy package’’ agreed upon in December 2008 by theCouncil and the EU parliament stipulates the implementation of comprehensiveenergy and climate goals for 2020. At the overall EU level, greenhouse gasemissions are to be reduced by 20% below the 1990 level, the share ofrenewables in final energy demand is to be raised to 20%, and energy efficiencyis to increase by 20% (this latter point may be viewed as redundant once theother two goals are reached). The specific goals for Austria stipulate an increase