The production and use of energy accounts for more than 75% of the EU’s GHG emissions [16]. Decarbonising the EU’s energy system is therefore critical for attaining the climate target of 55% reduction in GHG emissions by 2030 and the long-term commitment of carbon neutrality by 2050. The EGD focuses on 3 key principles for reducing GHG emissions from energy consumption: ensuring a secure and affordable energy supply, developing a fully integrated, interconnected and digitalised energy market, and cleaning the energy system [26] via improved energy efficiency and increased renewable energy deployment. Renewable energy (RE) is fast gaining a strong foothold in the EU. The share of renewable sources in the EU's gross final energy consumption more than doubled from 9.6% in 2004 to 22.1% in 2020 [27]. Currently wood-based biomass provides 60% of EU renewable energy. Renewable electricity generation is dominated by wind (36%), hydropower (33%) and solar energy (14%). However, substantial further RE expansion will be required for attaining the climate targets. The EU has thus proposed to raise its binding target for renewable sources in the energy mix from the 32% stipulated in the 2018 recast Renewable Energy Directive to 40% (and possibly 45% under the 2022 REPowerEU plan), and to achieve an overall reduction of 36-39% in final and primary energy consumption by 2030.

This increased ambition on renewable energy is a welcome revision due to the urgency for climate change mitigation – including for biodiversity conservation. However, biomass consumption and the expansion of wind, solar photovoltaic, hydropower and other RE installations do also pose significant challenges and issues for nature conservation and biodiversity. Many of these are already being addressed in policies or are currently under investigation, while others are yet to be investigated. Moreover, this is an emergent area with new challenges appearing regularly, as well as new research and innovation on renewable energy. These call for further attention and regular monitoring of impacts of RE expansion on ecosystems and biodiversity. The separate section on Biodiversity and climate-change mitigation: renewable energy is dedicated to a detailed discussion of these challenges and the relevant EU policies.