Countries around the world have been setting out climate targets in their national policy documents for the next few decades.
Nations who are signatories of the Paris Climate Accord are actually required by the agreement to prepare, communicate and maintain their post-2020 climate actions, known as their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC)s.
So, we decided to take a make a list of all the concrete NDC targets actually set out in national laws and policy by the three Baltic states.
Let's start out with the one firm target that all three countries share. It's a joint NDC submitted by the European Union and all of the 28 Member States:
At least 40% domestic reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to 1990.
Economy-wide | Target year: 2030
The rest of the NDCs that we are going to look at are set out in laws and policy from the individual countries. A few were written earlier and had targets that have already past, some have targets up to 2050, but most are aims for 2030.
Estonia
Maintain energy consumption per GDP at 20.0TJ per PPP by 2010 compared with a 2003 baseline.
Energy | Target year: 2010
Less than 90% oil and at least 8% renewably generated electricity produced by 2015.
Energy | Target year: 2015
No more than 11% greenhouse gas emissions increase by 2020 compared with a 2005 baseline.
Economy-wide | Target year: 2020
70% greenhouse gas emissions reduction by 2030 compared with a 1990 baseline.
Economy-wide | Target year: 2030
25% renewables of final energy consumption by 2020, then 50% by 2030.
Energy | Target year: 2030
72% greenhouse gas emissions reduction by 2040 compared with a 1990 baseline.
Economy-wide | Target year: 2040
80% greenhouse gas emissions reduction by 2050 compared with a 1990 baseline.
Economy-wide | Target year: 2050
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transport below 2,157,000 tons CO2 base level and fossil fuels in transport below 387.7 kg per inhabitant.
Transportation | Target year: N/A
Sources: National Environmental Strategy until 2030 - 2007 | 'Estonia 2020' National Reform Programme - 2011 | Estonia’s 2030 National Energy and Climate Plan - 2019
Latvia
25% cut in primary energy consumption by 2010 against a 2000 baseline.
Energy | Target year: 2010
49.3% energy produced by renewables by 2010.
Energy | Target year: 2010
8% cut in baseline greenhouse gas emissions by 2008-2012 compared with a 1990 baseline.
Economy-wide | Target year: 2012
No more than 17% growth in baseline emissions in non-ETS sectors by 2020 compared with a 2005 baseline.
Economy-wide | Target year: 2020
Reduction of greenhouse gas in non EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) activities by 6% compared to 2005.
Economy-wide | Target year: 2030
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 65 per cent compared to 1990.
Economy-wide | Target year: 2030
GHG emissions from land use ≤ 1 047 ktCO2eq by 2030 and net zero by 2040.
Land use | Target year: 2030
-65% CO2 emissions excluding land use sector, compared to 1990.
Economy-wide | Target year: 2030
-85% CO2 emissions excluding land use sector.
Economy-wide | Target year: 2040
40% energy consumed from renewables by 2040.
Energy | Target year: 2040
Total GHG emissions reduction at -38% in 2030 (+/- 5%), -76% in 2040 (+/- 5%), reaching net zero in 2050.
Economy-wide | 2050
Sources: Latvia’s Strategy to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 - 2019 | Latvia's National Energy and Climate Plan 2021-2030 - 2020
Lithuania
No more than 15% growth in baseline greenhouse emissions by 2020 compared with a 2005 baseline.
Economy-wide | Target year: 2020
20-30% cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 compared with a 1990 baseline.
Economy-wide | Target year: 2020
23% final energy consumption from renewable by 2020.
Energy | Target year: 2020
20% increase in energy efficiency by 2020 compared to 2012.
Energy | Target year: 2020
Up to 20% increase in renewables of final energy consumption by 2020 compared to 2012.
Energy | Target year: 2020
In sectors covered by the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced by 43% compared to the 2005 levels.
Economy-wide | Target year: 2030
To reduce greenhouse gas emissions from all sectors of economy by at least 40% compared to 1990.
Economy-wide | Target year: 2030
In non-ETS sectors, GHG emissions must be reduced at least by 9 per cent compared to 2005.
Economy-wide | Target year: 2030
Sources: Strategy for the National Climate Change Management Policy until 2050 - 2012 | National Energy and Climate Plan of the Republic of Lithuania for 2021-2030 - 2019
