The proliferation of renewable energy in the European Union in 2017 did not stop the majority of member states from increasing their carbon footprint.
The European Union had a 25 percent growth in wind power and a six percent increase in solar, however, carbon emissions rose by 1.8 percent in 2017, according to a report from Greentech Media. Malta experienced the highest increase, with a 12.8 percent rise. Estonia and Bulgaria came next, with an 11.3 and 8.3 percent increase, respectively.
Altogether, 20 EU member countries saw their carbon dioxide rates go up, while seven were able to cut their rates.
The numbers indicate that, despite massive investments in the renewable energy sector, reducing emissions is a tough task while undergoing job and population growth. Wind and solar have not been able to keep pace with the higher number of electricity consumers. Market expansion is making it all the more difficult for EU leaders who plan to slash carbon to 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030.
“This worrying rise in emissions shows that while renewables continue to grow, the most polluting energy sources are not being eliminated quickly enough,” said Molly Walsh, a renewables campaigner at Friends of the Earth Europe. The numbers reveal the EU Emissions Trading System — the largest greenhouse gas emissions trading scheme around the world — is not doing a satisfactory job, Walsh stated, according to Greentech Media.
The emissions increase is also surprising considering the amount of money European leaders have spent in recent years to prop up the renewable energy sector and fight climate change.
Germany has paid a fortune to become an international leader in wind energy, but that hasn’t stopped the country from remaining Europe’s largest polluter. Germany has burned an estimated 189 billion euros — around $222 billion — on subsidies for renewable energy since 2000. Emissions have mostly remained at 2009 levels, despite the big financial commitment. The country managed a negligible 0.2 percent improvement from their 2016 carbon dioxide levels.
France established strong renewable energy targets. However, the country witnessed a 3.2 percent carbon emissions rise in 2017. Italy experienced the same rate increase. Spain enjoys robust wind, solar and hydro reserves, yet the country still saw its emissions rise by 7.4 percent, accounting for a 7.7 percent share of Europe’s total output in 2017.
The situation in Europe will likely get worse as the population continues to climb and a slate of nuclear plants begin to phase out.
Of course it hasn’t. In order for the countries to continue to have reliable electricity they’ve had to build coal plants. Especially in Germany where they are shutting down their zero pollution nuke plants!
“Renewable Energy Use In Europe Didn’t Stop CO2 Levels From Rising”
No. And it never will. Welcome to 2018, Year Eight of the Modern Age of Electric Cars ”
Renewable Energy Use In Europe is causing CO2 Levels to Rise. In fact, continued deployment of Renewable Energy schemes and promoting electric car use will actually insure ever increasing CO2 levels just to insure the POSSIBLE use of any “Renewable Energy” when available. Depending on free sustainable wind and solar to meet increased charging demand is not ever going to happen. The more “stuff” you have operating on batteries necessarily increases the need for 7/24 reliable fossil fuel produced electrical power to keep things charged. Carbon emissions will necessarily have to rise to meet growing electrical demand.
And… “Renewable Energy Use” In Europe or elsewhere is not delivered, installed or maintained without a substantial daily carbon footprint, every single day, due entirely to the inherent unreliable nature of said “Renewable Energy” that must be maintained on “operational standby” using fossil fuel produced electricity.
I find it astounding that people and collections of people (nations) do exactly the opposite of what is needed to achieve a goal. Population increase was mentioned as one factor making it difficult to reduce emissions. If reduce emissions is the goal, then immigration should not be allowed.
It is obvious that the nations of Europe, at least most of them, will not make their obligations under the Paris Treaty. As far as making the treaty work, this is probably the most determined group of nations in the world. It is pretty certain that most other nations won’t make their obligations either.
It seems everything go in bad way. Hope that governments take care more about this situation.
They do not ned any wild turbines or solar panels that only end up harming Birds and Bats whats needed is a little Common Sense
Not only is the European efforts to reduce CO2 ineffectual but it is easy to see that all efforts are. The Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii keeps and publishes a record of all world CO2 measurements. Not only does it continue to climb but the rate of climb is increasing. It means all human efforts to decrease CO2 have been futile. Its real effect has been to diminish Western democracies economies. Is that the real point of what the environmentalist wants and world temperature does not have much to do with it. Remember if it works it is not Green.
An online diagram depicts how all energy-producing devices humans have built are drawing from one master source of energy, which may explain why renewables cannot grow without a growth in fossil fuel consumption, due to Phsyics:
https://the-fifth-law.com/pages/eroi-revised?sm_ink=co2dontgodwn
Gees, don’t bother using science as related to “Climate Change” or the so-called renewable energy. You’ll make the “Greens” heads explode.
A Greens head explodes and the leaf mold and sawdust is everywhere