Serbian NECP ignores CO2 neutrality, renewables goals

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Serbian NECP ignores CO2 neutrality, renewables goals – expert

Date: July 18^th 2023

Author: Dušan Telesković

Category: En.vision

Topic: Renewables , Coal , Energy policy , CO2 emissions

Serbia is not committed to carbon neutrality by 2050 nor will it adhere to Energy Community renewables targets, says an expert from the NGO Bankwatch after analysing the country’s national energy and climate plan (NECP).

This assessment of Serbia’s NECP, which is under public debate until 28 July, was posted by Southeast Europe energy policy officer Pippa Gallop on her blog at the Bankwatch network portal.

“Planning to fail 27 years in advance is not a good start,” Gallop writes, recalling that Serbia had pledged to adopt the EU’s climate law and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

As an EU neighbour, Serbia's electricity exports will also be affected by the carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) as of 2026. Gallop, however, points out that CBAM is only mentioned twice in the draft NECP.

“The draft NECP quietly sidesteps the commitments it finds too bothersome. No carbon neutrality is planned for 2050. Emissions are forecast to drop by two thirds compared to 2025, or by 75% compared to 1990, but this is not enough,” Gallop writes.

“The draft also unilaterally lowers Serbia's renewable energy target for 2030 to 33.6% instead of the 40.7% target agreed at the Energy Community Ministerial Council in December 2022. Even by 2050, the draft only expects to have a 40-45% renewable share in heating and transport, instead of 100%,” she adds.

Hristina Vojvodic, a legal advisor at the Renewables and Environmental Regulatory Institute (Reri), told Montel on Monday that Serbia has not shown a tendency to respect international agreements in the past.

“Specifically, Serbia has violated the Energy Community Treaty several times. Since 2018, Serbia has been violating the large combustion plant directive, emitting 4-6 times more sulphur dioxide emissions from its thermal power plants than allowed,” Vojvodic said.

Coal sector

Gallop also points out that the NECP draft does not mention the construction of any new coal-fired power plants after the 350 MW Kostolac B3 plant (which is under construction), nor does it contain any information about Serbia’s coal phase-out timetable.

Vojvodic further noted that the document foresees a gradual phase-out of lignite in power generation, by up to 25% in 2030 compared to 2019, and that coal plants “are expected” to stop operating by 2050.

“These are all very vague assessments in a document that should give concrete and measurable energy policy goals,” added Vojvodic, calling for a clear coal phase-out timeline.