As David Cameron prepares to join EU leaders to set new targets for emissions, energy savings and renewables, we look at the data and what it means for the UK

David Cameron joins other EU leaders on Thursday to decide a new set of energy and climate targets for Europe for the first time in half a decade.

On the table are three new targets for 2030. The big one is a binding goal of getting Europe’s emissions down 40% on 1990 levels, a cut that international observers and environmentalists say is unambitious. Here’s the chart that explains why – the pink line is what the bloc’s 28 countries are already on track for, and the green is where emissions should end up with the target:

The UK is happy with a 40% carbon cut. That’s not surprising, given it has already set its own legally-binding target of a 50% cut for three years earlier than the EU goal, and the country’s emissions are on a downward long-term trend:

Next up is energy savings. The EU has a target of improving this to 20% by 2020 but there is no legal obligation on countries to meet it.

For 2030, a target for improving energy efficiency by 27% is the most likely option to get approved, again without being binding for countries – something the UK has reportedly lobbied for. As with the new emissions goal, some people think this is too low – unions want to see 40%, which they say would create more jobs in, for example, insulating people’s homes.

The third target is for share of energy from renewable sources, such as wind and solar. It looks like leaders will agree that 27% of energy should come from renewables by 2030 but – like the energy savings target – this won’t be binding.

The UK has been particularly vocal about this target not being binding at a national level, saying it wants to be free to meet the emissions target (see above) with other technologies, such as capturing carbon from coal and gas power plants, and new nuclear reactors such as the one planned at Hinkley Point in Somerset.

The graph below also gives you a good idea of why the UK doesn’t want a binding renewables target – despite the fuss over wind turbines in the shires, the country is a laggard when it comes to the rest of Europe on renewable energy:

It’s worth saying nothing is set in stone until the outcome of this week’s meeting – so there may be some modest tweaks to the 2030 targets above.

Finally, here’s one last graph on why the EU is setting all these targets. We’re the black line – the world is currently on track for the worst case scenarios for future global warming: