Finnish, Swedish ministers underscore role of sustainable energy

Minister of the Environment, Energy and Housing of Finland Kimmo Tiilikainen and Minister for Policy Coordination and Energy of Sweden Ibrahim Baylan have sent a letter to the Members of the European Parliament, reminding them about the important role of sustainable bioenergy in reaching the EU’s climate and energy targets to 2030.

The European Parliament will vote on the Renewable Energy Directive (RED II) at the plenary session on 17 January 2018,said the press release from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment at the end of last week.

Bioenergy represents a significant share of the EU’s renewable energy. Sustainable bioenergy also has a major role in increasing the share of renewable energy in the EU and many of the Member States, including Finland and Sweden, and in the achievement of the climate targets.

“Finland has made a long-term effort to influence the work done in Brussels to ensure the sustainability of bioenergy and the climate and other benefits to be derived from it. We decided to join forces with Minister Baylan and to send a joint letter to the Members of the European Parliament before the important vote next week,” Tiilikainen said.

The vote at the European Parliament is a major step in the negotiations on the conditions relating to the use of sustainable bioenergy. The Council’s opinion was decided at the meeting of the Energy Ministers on 18 December 2018. The vote at the Parliament will be followed by trilogue negotiations between the Parliament, Council of Ministers and Commission.

The final content of the Renewable Energy Directive will be decided in these negotiations.