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Robert Habeck (archive photo)
Photo: ANDREAS GORA/POOL/EPA
The EU countries have agreed on new rules to promote the expansion of renewable energies and energy efficiency.
»Today's Energy Council was very successful.
Two central decisions for more climate protection could be united," said Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck.
The EU ministers responsible for energy agreed that by the end of the decade 40 percent of the energy in the EU must come from renewable sources - instead of the previously planned 32 percent.
At the same time, final energy consumption is to be reduced by 36 percent by 2030.
"Both decisions are elementary to make the EU less dependent on fossil fuels and to promote climate protection," said Habeck.
In order to expand renewable energies more quickly, the projects should be in the »overriding public interest«, i.e. they should be given more weight in lawsuits in court, for example.
In addition, approval procedures for wind farms and other renewable projects are to be accelerated.
Framework conditions are also set for the expansion of climate-friendly hydrogen.
Climate neutral by 2050
Now the EU Parliament still has to determine its position before the institutions can start the final negotiations to implement the plans.
They are both part of the EU Commission's "Fit for 55" climate package.
It aims to reduce climate-damaging greenhouse gas emissions by 55 percent by 2030 compared to 1990 and should contribute to the overall goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050.
At Schloss Elmau in Bavaria, the G7 states also emphasized that they are working more intensively on solutions in the fight against the climate crisis together with their partner countries Argentina, India, Indonesia, Senegal and South Africa.
The aim is to "accelerate a clean and just transition to climate neutrality while ensuring energy security," according to a statement released at the summit.
Together, options for a "rapid expansion of clean and renewable energy sources and energy efficiency" would be examined.
bam/dpa