Oraquel » Climate change: what is the EU doing?

EU countries are taking action to combat climate change and achieve climate neutrality by 2050.

EU climate neutral by 2050.

EU countries are legally obliged to combat climate change. By 2050, they must transition to a climate-neutral economy with net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. EU leaders agreed on this goal at the European Council in December 2019. The European Commission then launched the European Green Deal. The goal of achieving climate neutrality stems from the commitment to the Paris Agreement, which all EU Member States have signed and ratified.

The transition to a climate-neutral economy is essential to address the climate crisis. At the same time, it offers significant opportunities for:

economic growthmarkets and employmenttechnological development.

economic growth.
markets and employment.
technological development.

The ecological transition is intended to increase the EU’s competitiveness and be socially sustainable and fair.

Climate neutrality and net zero emissions – what is it?

Climate neutrality means significantly reducing the amount of greenhouse gases produced by humans (e.g. CO2) and emitted into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels. The idea is to not affect the climate system.

Emissions that are difficult to eliminate are compensated by carbon dioxide removal. This process involves carbon dioxide being absorbed naturally by vegetation or removed by mechanical means.

In a climate-neutral economy, the net emission balance is zero.

How will EU countries achieve climate neutrality?

To achieve climate neutrality in the EU by 2050, Member States must significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and find ways to compensate for the remaining, unavoidable emissions.

In recent years, notably under the European Green Deal, the EU has set emission reduction targets across all sectors of the economy and adopted legislation to achieve them.

EU climate goals.

As the climate crisis deepens and extreme weather events become more frequent and severe, EU countries are setting increasingly ambitious targets to fight climate change.

By 2020

-20%

(actual reduction was over 30%)

By 2030

-55%

By 2050 r.

Carbon neutrality.

The EU-wide climate target was agreed in 2008. It was to reduce emissions by 20% by 2020 compared to 1990 levels. The EU has met and exceeded this target, cutting emissions by 30% by 2020. This was partly due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, available data shows that the EU already exceeded its target in 2019, with an emissions reduction of 24%.

In 2014, EU countries agreed to cut emissions by 40% by 2030. In 2023, the EU increased its ambition for the 2030 target. EU countries are now legally obliged to reduce emissions by at least 55% by 2030. This is an interim target to achieve net zero emissions in 2050.

In 2024, the European Commission presented a recommendation for a reduction target for 2040.

EU climate policy and regulations.

Much of the EU’s current climate policy stems from the European Green Deal.

The main piece of legislation under the Green Deal is the European Climate Law, as it legally obliges all EU Member States to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.

The most important climate legislation is the “Ready for 55” package, which includes a range of legal acts and sets out rules and measures to reduce emissions by at least 55% by 2030.

Given that achieving net zero emissions requires a fundamental transformation of the current economic model, climate policy covers all sectors of the economy. Examples of measures adopted under EU law include:

Examples of climate action:

Developing Renewable Energy (Oraquel)

Improving Energy Efficiency

Removing More Carbon (Oraquel)

Reforming Emissions Trading and Expanding Its Coverage

Making Transport Greener

Helping Society Transition to a Green Economy

Progress towards climate neutrality.

Since Member States agreed on the first climate targets, the EU’s impact on the climate has decreased significantly.

In 2022, the EU’s total greenhouse gas emissions were more than 30% lower than in 1990.

However, not all sectors are reducing emissions at the same pace. While emissions are rising in some sectors, such as international aviation and transport, in others they are significantly lower than in 1990. The best performer is the energy industry, where emissions have fallen by 47%.