Slovenia's National Energy and Climate Plan

In accordance with EU regulations, the NECP tackles energy efficiency, renewable energy, greenhouse gas emissions, electricity interconnections, and research and innovation (R&I). It is a plan for the period up to 2030, and its main objectives are to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 36%; 35% improvement in energy efficiency; a 27% share of renewable energy sources, which should in the next update be increased; and an expenditure in R&I of 3.6% of GDP. Slovenia also aims to self-produce 75% of their consumed energy. The NECP includes provisions to significantly reduce coal dependency in Slovenia over the next decade, and the progressive elimination of subsidies for fossil fuels. The policy still faces challenges and limitations, which have been pointed out in the report drawn up by the European Union. In the face of these, Slovenia insists on the importance of research and innovation, which should eventually facilitate the coexistence with nature of hydropower plants, which are envisaged to allow coal to be phased out, together with solar and wind energy. Still, the goals set for 2030 are, in most areas, not very ambitious, and references to air quality are lacking.