MEP Miriam Dalli has called for targets that can address climate change and move away from high polluting fossil fuels.

Dr Dalli was addressing the plenary session in Strasbourg, which discussed the European Commission’s Energy Winter Package, which includes a number of legislative proposals aimed at helping the European Union move towards clean energy while ensuring the bloc’s competitiveness.

Speaking on behalf of the Socialists and Democrats in the Environment Committee, Dr Dalli focused on energy efficiency and renewables’ targets. She insisted that energy efficiency should always come first. “If properly carried out, energy efficiency can lift millions of people across the EU out of energy poverty, cut greenhouse gas emissions and create jobs,” she emphasised.

 “This is our opportunity to rise to the occasion and move away from fancy words to concrete action, which continues to build on the Paris Agreement,” Dr Dalli said.

The Commission’s package “Clean Energy for all Europeans” includes eight legislative proposals which will be negotiated in the next two years. These include energy efficiency of buildings and the energy efficiency directive, energy prices and costs, eco-design and renewables and bioenergy sustainability.