West drags its feet on renewable energy

Subject

Clean energy transitions.

Significance

The European Parliament (EP) is calling for more ambitious clean energy targets than those agreed by EU member states and proposed by the European Commission. However, even the EP’s proposals are unambitious given what is economically feasible and environmentally necessary. President Donald Trump's United States is unlikely to lead the world on energy transitions, leaving a potential opening for China to become an unlikely champion of carbon reduction.

Impacts

• The EP is unlikely to succeed in pushing up the EU’s 2030 targets.
• Trump’s impact on clean energy development will increase over the remainder of his administration.
• Modest investment levels will hinder India’s ability to meet its target of 175 gigawatts of renewables by 2022.