EU meets energy reduction target six years early
The European Union has achieved a major energy reduction target six years ahead of schedule, according to a report from its Joint Research Centre. The 28 EU member states consumed 72 million tonnes of oil equivalent in 2014, which is below the consumption rate projected for 2020. The reduction is equivalent in terms of greenhouse gas emissions to the closure of 400 power stations. Between 2000 and 2014, energy use fell in industry by 17.6% and residential buildings by 9.5%, though the service sector saw a 16.5% increase in energy use over the same period.
The May edition of the JRC's Anomaly Hotspots of Agricultural Production (ASAP) assessment is now available, below average production expected in the Maghreb and parts of Southern Africa.