Swedenergy has eagerly awaited the process to put the European Union in line with the Paris Agreement to limit the temperature increase to 1,5 degrees by 2050. We are therefore very happy that the European Council on March 22^nd asked the European Commission to present a proposal to put the European Union in line with the Paris Climate Agreement from 2015 by the first quarter of 2019.

The current strategy of the European Council mentions a climate target of 80-95 percent in 2050 but the current EU target for 2050 is 80 percent and for 2040 it is 60 percent. Both these targets will need to be adjusted upwards substantially to put the EU in line with the Paris agreement. This will mean increased efforts in industry, transport, building and for the power sector. However, the power sector is already on its way to becoming fully decarbonised well before 2050.

The increased efforts in other sectors than the power sector will mean increased electrification and increased district heating. In the last five years the interest in electrification has augmented and this is a trend that is likely to increase even further in the coming years.

Swedenergy strongly believes in the EU ETS as the cornerstone of EUs climate policy and we would like to see an increased scope for the EU ETS in order to meet the higher climate goals of 2050. One such measure could be to include the transport sector in the EU ETS.

In conclusion, the Swedish energy companies welcome a higher climate goal 2050 putting the EU in line with the Paris Accord and we are up for the challenge that it would mean for our sector.

Daniel Wennick

Head of Brussels Office, Swedenergy