Ed Davey, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, has ‘challenged’ the European Union (EU) to set its greenhouse gas emissions target to 50 per cent by 2030.

The target, which would be measured against 1990 levels, is ‘fundamental to tackling climate change… as part of an ambitious global deal to tackle climate change in 2015’, according to the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC).

Davey said that though the 2030 target is ‘ambitious’ it is ‘necessary if we are to limit climate change to manageable proportions’.

Writing on his blog, Davey argued: ‘the EU should adopt an ambitious emissions reduction target for 2030 of 50 per cent on 1990 levels as part of Europe’s approach to the getting [sic] a global deal in 2015. And even if such a global deal doesn’t come about, the EU should aim for a unilateral 40 per cent reduction.

‘The UK is committed to increasing renewables in our own domestic energy mix. The tripling of support available for low carbon electricity through the £7.6 billion Levy Control Framework provides an immediate boost. And the radical reforms to the electricity market set out in the Energy Bill will also incentivise renewables to 2020 and beyond’, he added.

Yet he further claimed that a renewable energy target at EU level was ‘inflexible and unnecessary’, arguing that EU member states ‘should be free to pick the mix [of renewable energy technologies] they prefer’ and that should a European-wide target be set, he would oppose it.

This call comes ahead of a crucial vote regarding the introduction of a decarbonisation target for 2030 in the UK’s upcoming Energy Bill.

Businesses, ministers and environmentalists alike, including Friends of the Earth (FoE), have urged MPs to vote in favour of including a decarbonisation target in the UK’s Energy Bill when the issue comes to vote on 3 June 2013.

FoE campaigner Guy Shrubsole said: "There is a clear choice: MPs can back Tim Yeo's amendment for a clean power target - unlocking investment in affordable renewable energy and thousands of new UK jobs - or give in to Osborne's polluting and costly dash for gas.

"We urge every MP to join the nearly 300 politicians from all parties who already back the amendment to vote for a clean power target. Investing in renewable energy will help tackle climate change and see the UK develop world-leading technological expertise."

‘Acting alone will not solve the global problem’

Davey’s statement comes in response to a European Commission Green Paper on ‘A 2030 framework for climate and energy policies’, adopted on 27 March 2013, which DECC ‘strongly support(s)’.

Writing on his blog, Davey argues that achieving DECC’s stated reduction target is only possible if the EU and UK work together, stating: ‘We are an island nation, a trading nation, dependent on the global market for prosperity… acting alone will not solve the global problem’.

He states that, when negotiating with ‘super-economies’ such as China, India and the USA, the UK is better off negotiating as a ‘European bloc’: ‘Why? Because together we represent 504 million people and 25 per cent of the world’s GDP (compared with 63 million people and 3 per cent of the world’s GDP as the UK alone). And because the action the EU is taking on emissions means we are able to negotiate from a position of authority.’

His comments come a week after DECC and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) launched a call for evidence on how European environment and climate change policies affect the UK.

This comes as part of the government’s Review of the Balance of Competences and is thought to be part of its efforts to gauge the potential impact of an exit from the EU.

Topics under scrutiny in the review include EU directives, laws and regulations on a range of topics including waste management, water, energy (excluding renewable energy and energy efficiency – to be subject of the Energy Report), land use, air quality, pesticides and genetically modified organisms, amongst others.

Submissions will be accepted until 12 August 2013.

Read more about Ed Davey’s target challenge to the EU.