Greenhouse gas (GHG) emission savings due to renewable energy consumption in electricity, cooling/heating, and transport sectors in Europe rose at a compound annual growth rate of 8.8% from 2009 to 2012, confirming the great potential of renewables in climate change mitigation, according to a new report from the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC). Nearly two-thirds of the total savings came from renewable energy development in Germany, Sweden, France, Italy, and Spain.

The report, “Renewable Energy in Europe for Climate Change Mitigation—Greenhouse Gas Emission Savings Due to Renewable Energy (2009–12),” assesses data on the use of renewable energy, submitted by European Union (EU) Member States every two years, as required by EU legislation on renewable energy. Due to its provisions, renewable energy sources have already provided a strong contribution to the reduction of GHG emissions: the report estimates that in 2012, total GHG emissions reached the equivalent of 4546 Mt CO₂, and the deployment of renewables in the EU avoided the equivalent of 716 Mt CO₂ emissions. According to the report, the highest contribution by renewables in climate change mitigation in the EU in 2012 came from renewable electricity, which covered 64% of the savings, due to high penetration of wind and solar power, followed by renewable heating and cooling (31%) and renewable transport (5%).

The EU has a directive to fulfill at least 20% of its total energy needs with renewables by 2020—to be achieved through the attainment of individual national targets. The JRC has released a set of reports analyzing renewable energy progress based on member states’ national renewable energy action plans. JRC scientists examined the status of burden sharing for the 2020 climate and energy targets, foreseeing a 20% reduction in GHG emissions from 1990 levels, a shared increase of EU energy consumption produced from renewable resources to 20%, and 20% improvement in the EU’s energy efficiency. In October 2014, EU leaders agreed on more ambitious goals for 2030, with a domestic emission reduction target of at least 40% below 1990 levels, an increase of renewable energy share of at least 27%, and an energy efficiency goal of at least 27%.