Delano's Top of the Week returned today after a bank holiday break last week. Joining Tom on the show was Cordula Schnuer who came in to talk about the review to Luxembourg's national energy and climate plan which the government will be presenting this afternoon (Monday 17th April).
All EU countries had to submit such a plan to the European Commission in 2019. They set out how they will achieve the EU’s goal to reduce emissions by 55% by 2030 and become carbon neutral by 2050. That also includes targets to increase the share of renewable energies from 11% in 2020 to 25% by 2030 and to increase energy efficiency resulting in a reduction of demand between 40 to 44%, for example by improving insulation of homes.
It’s mandatory under the EU strategy for each member country to submit an updated version of the plan by 30 June this year.
That is meant to give countries an opportunity to set more ambitious targets, take into account the latest research and findings, for example from the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (the IPCC).
Later this afternoon the prime minister together with the ministers for the economy, energy, and environment, climate and sustainability will present the draft update. That should already include input, for example from the citizens’ climate council that was convened last year and where a group of 100 people developed proposals and recommendations for the government on how to tackle the climate crisis. But the document as a whole must also be opened for public consultation so that NGOs or institutional players like industry and business federations can submit their opinions. But also any regular citizen can comment and leave their remarks. For the first version, it was 328 people and 30 NGOs and other groups who gave their feedback.
Cordula started her event recommendations by reminding listeners that today is the last day for foreign nationals living in Luxembourg to register to vote in the upcoming municipal elections.
She also recommends:
Wednesday 19 April: Django Bates’ Belovèd. Django Bates in a British jazz pianist who teams up with a double bass and drums for his jazz trip Belovèd. They are playing at the Philharmonie from 7.30pm with an artists talk just before the performance from 7pm.
Saturday 22 April: Open day of Luxembourg’s institutions. You can visit parliament, different ministries, the state council, the central bank. It’s an opportunity to look inside some beautiful and historic buildings in Luxembourg that aren’t otherwise accessible to the public. It’s also an opportunity to meet with lawmakers and public officials.
Also on 22 April at 4pm: Lecture by Juliet Jacques, a writer and filmmaker based in London on transgender lives and representation at Mudam. Hosted in the framework of an exhibition by US transgender artist Tourmaline. There’s no extra fee for the lecture but you have to pay entrance to the museum.
Her personal pick was a book: The Brutish Museums - The Benin Bronzes, Colonial Violence and Cultural Restitution.