Certain cookies are used to obtain aggregated statistics about website visits to help us constantly improve the site and better serve your needs. EU Climate Law: business as usual or blueprint for climate action? The legislation also provides a stepping stone for implementing the revamped EU growth strategy outlined in the Communication on … “The law would ensure a strong legal basis for the European Green Deal, sending a powerful signal about the EU’s role as a global climate leader, … The European Council discussed the topic of increasing the EU's 2030 target at its meeting on 15 October. The public debate has focused on the 2030 and 2050 targets so far, but there are further elements that contribute to outlining an effective and substantive climate law. The “European Green Deal” passed on Wednesday, and is being celebrated by some as having unified 27 member states towards climate action. Brussels, 4.3.2020. According to the European Environment Agency and its latest available data, by 2019 the EU had reduced its overall greenhouse gas emissions by 24% compared to 1990 levels. The EU is firmly committed to becoming climate neutral by 2050. While the European Council has announced that it will return to the greenhouse gas emissions reduction target for 2030 at its December meeting with a view to agreeing on a new target, I am pleased to announce that today we were able to reach agreement among member states on large parts of the European climate law proposal. EU climate action and the European Green Deal, 2013-20: Annual emission allocations and flexibilities, proposal for the first European Climate Law, Commission proposal for a Regulation: European Climate Law, Commission amended proposal for a Regulation: European Climate Law, Report a problem or give feedback on this page, Set the long-term direction of travel for meeting the 2050 climate-neutrality objective through all policies, in a socially-fair and cost-efficient manner, Create a system for monitoring progress and take further action if needed, Provide predictability for investors and other economic actors, Ensure that the transition to climate neutrality is irreversible, Based on a comprehensive impact assessment, the Commission has proposed a. The Commission also adopted a proposal amending the initial Commission proposal on the European climate law to include a revised EU emission reduction target of at least 55% by 2030. The headquarters of the Council of the EU and the European Council are located in Brussels (Belgium). 2020/0036(COD) Proposal for a. Representing the Ecological Democratic Party from Germany, her focus lies on climate, environment, biodiversity and consumer protection, as well as animal welfare. Read more about the role of the European Council, European climate law - partial general approach, 23 October 2020, European Council conclusions, 15-16 October 2020 (press release, 16 October 2020), European Council conclusions, 12 December 2019 (press release, 12 December 2019), Amended proposal by the European Commission, Original proposal by the European Commission, Commission communication on ‘Stepping up Europeʼs 2030 climate ambition’, Sharpest decrease of the decade in EU’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2019, before impacts of COVID-19 (EEA press release, 17 September 2020), Climate change: What the EU is doing (background information), send your request to the public information service. In order to ensure that in the years to come the EU will remain on track to achieve its climate-neutrality objective, the Council tasks the Commission with reporting on the operation of the European climate law within six months after each global stocktake under the Paris Agreement. With the European Climate Law the Commission proposes a legally binding target of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The Council of the EU is the institution representing the member states' governments. Today, the Council reached agreement on a partial general approach on the proposed European climate law. Other cookies are used to boost performance and guarantee security of the website. Instead, the Council asks the Commission to propose an intermediate target for 2040 after the first global stocktake of the Paris Agreement. The proposed European climate law is an important step to further organise actions towards the EU’s climate neutrality objective. MEP in the group of the Greens / EFA. We use cookies in order to ensure that you can get the best browsing experience possible on the Council website. This will be the foundation for the rest of the Green Deal. Press officers speak 'off the record' about the Council's activities. Discussions on the proposal started during the Croatian Presidency and have continued under the German Presidency, including more recently on the amended proposal. In its position, the Council stresses the importance of promoting both fairness and solidarity among member states and cost-effectiveness in achieving the climate neutrality objective. The climate law will include the EU’s target to reach net zero emissions by 2050, which EU countries say is a joint effort, but the European Parliament wants it to be binding on every EU state. The EU Institutions and the Member States are bound to take the necessary measures at EU and national level to meet the target, taking into account the importance of promoting fairness and solidarity among Member States. A high-level public conference on 28 January 2020 provided a further opportunity for open, public stakeholder debate on the European Climate Law before its finalisation and adoption. With your permission, we will use AT internet cookies to produce aggregated, anonymous data about our visitors' browsing and behaviour on our website. A fair transition for all The EU is firmly committed to becoming climate neutral by 2050. The draft regulation commits all 27 EU member states to reduce … A climate neutral EU - what does it mean? Instead the new EU Climate Law stops short of enabling short-term EU ambition to be increased on par with the most recent science. This means that the EU is set to surpass its 2020 emission reduction target of 20%. The Council's position is partial because it does not yet specify an updated 2030 greenhouse gas emission reduction target, given that further work is needed to reach agreement among member states in this regard. When adopted, the European Union and its member states will be required by law to comply and take the necessary measures to achieve it. establishing the framework for achieving climate neutrality and amending Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 (European Climate Law) This was followed by an EU-wide debate on the vision. The proposed EU Climate law is unique because it makes climate neutrality by 2050 a legally binding target. Council and European Council documents are made available through the public register, in accordance with EU rules on transparency. The Council of the EU and the European Council work on a wide range of issues affecting the interests of the EU and its citizens. The European Council brings together EU leaders at least four times a year. By Manuela Ripa. The European Commission unveiled plans Wednesday for its first ever climate law, the lynchpin of the EU's Green Deal aimed at making the 27-country bloc climate neutral by 2050 The measure to allow for ambition increases only starts in 2030. The European Climate Law sets the 2050 target and the direction of travel for all EU policy. Find out more about documents and publications. In effect, climate … The EU Climate Law lays out the long-term roadmap for achieving climate neutrality by 2050 in all policy areas in a way that is socially equitable and cost-efficient. By June 2021, the Commission will review, and where necessary propose to revise, all relevant policy instruments to deliver the additional emissions reductions for 2030. The press office is the first point of contact for all media requests. The Climate Law includes measures to keep track of progress and adjust our actions accordingly, based on existing systems such as the governance process for Member States’ national energy and climate plans, regular reports by the European Environment Agency, and the latest scientific evidence on climate change and its impacts. (Apr. If you are not a journalist, please send your request to the public information service. While the European Council has announced that it will return to the greenhouse gas emissions reduction target for 2030 at its December meeting with a view to agreeing on a new target, I am pleased to announce that today we were able to reach agreement among member states on large parts of the European climate law proposal. The law aims to ensure that all EU policies contribute to this goal and that all sectors of the economy and society play their part. EUROPEAN COMMISSION. It helps organise and ensure the coherence of the Council's work and the implementation of its 18-month programme. On 17 September 2020, the Commission adopted a proposal amending its initial proposal to include a revised EU emissions reduction target of at least 55% by 2030. 3. REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL. Follow the latest developments on policy-making and on legislation under negotiation. The Climate Law is a bold move by the Commission in governance terms and could successfully put the EU on track to meet its long-term climate objective. But EU institutions' positions on the course of action are still far apart, according to a document seen by EUobserver.. Last month, negotiators made progress on some parts of the law that would force Brussels to create an emissions-cutting target for 2040, and require member states to create plans to adapt to climate-related events such as increased heatwaves, floods or droughts. The climate law, which needs the approval of the European Parliament and member states, would commit the 27-nation EU to reducing its net greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2050. It comprises emission reductions, investment in climate-friendly technology and environmental protection. EU Climate Law gives the Green Deal rules of play and predictability for public authorities, businesses and citizens. Committees and working parties handle the preparatory work on files before they are discussed at Council meetings. The Commission recently proposed to increase this target to “at least 55%” in the amended proposal for an EU climate law. In addition it has currently in place a binding target of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40% by 2030. The Council of the EU meets in different configurations depending on the topic discussed. The Climate Law also addresses the necessary steps to get to the 2050 target: The legislative proposal was submitted to the European Parliament, the Council, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions for further consideration under the ordinary legislative procedure. The Climate Law includes measures to keep track of progress and … This infographic will navigate you through the EU Climate Law’s objectives, essential elements, […] On 4 March 2020, the European Commission adopted its proposal for a European climate law, as an important part of the European Green Deal. The European Council is the EU institution that defines the general political direction and priorities of the European Union. With the European Climate Law the Commission proposes a legally binding target of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. By September 2023, and every five years thereafter, the Commission will assess the consistency of EU and national measures with the climate-neutrality objective and the 2030-2050 trajectory. The EU Institutions and the Member States are bound to take the necessary measures at EU and national level to meet the target, taking into account the importance of promoting fairness and solidarity among Member States. EU Emissions Trading System(EU ETS) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the power sector, industry and flights within the EU The new EU climate law should task the European Commission with stepping up action to cut the EU’s international carbon and ecological footprint dramatically, with a focus on new policy measures and legislation to protect and restore the world's forests. 7, 2020) On March 4, 2020, the European Commission (Commission) published a proposal for a regulation (European Climate Law).The proposal would codify the European Union’s (EU’s) goal to become climate neutral by 2050 in accordance with the European Green Deal of December 2019.. An EU regulation has general application. The European Council, in its conclusions of 12 December 2019, agreed on the objective of achieving a climate-neutral EU by 2050, in line with the objectives of the Paris Agreement, while also recognising that it is necessary to put in place an enabling framework that benefits all member states and encompasses adequate instruments, incentives, support and investments to ensure a cost-efficient, just, as well as socially balanced and fair transition, taking into account different national circumstances in terms of starting points. Where appropriate, the Commission may make proposals to amend the European climate law. The European climate law needs a strong just transition fund. The proposal is part of a broader package of ambitious actions announced in the Commission’s European Green Deal communication. 9. You can also take a look at Council publications, access the archives and search for legislation that the Council negotiates together with the European Parliament. by Michael Davies-Venn. To deliver on the goals of the European climate law, the European Union needs finally to get coal out of its energy mix: the EU should quicken the pace of decarbonisation whilst delivering on its goal of social inclusion. Negotiations on the European Climate Law – including the bloc’s proposed 55% emissions reduction target for 2030 – are expected to wrap up before the end of June as Portugal makes a climate agreement the “big priority” of its six-month EU presidency, started on 1 January. The aim of the proposal is to set in legislation the objective of a climate-neutral EU by 2050, which was endorsed by the European Council in December 2019. The Commission’s proposal for the first European Climate Law aims to write into law the goal set out in the European Green Deal – for Europe’s economy and society to become climate-neutral by 2050. You can get in contact to arrange a visit, ask questions about the work of both institutions, and request a document, among other services. Progress will be reviewed every five years, in line with the global stocktake exercise under the Paris Agreement. The overnight discussions on climate, which has been declared as one of the European Union’s top priorities, have been obstructed by the familiar divisions between the … We will use this data to improve your experience on our website. Last March, the EU's executive Commission proposed a law to make the bloc's climate change goals irreversible. With this in mind, Climate Law in EU Member States will be a valuable read for policymakers and civil servants at national ministries and at the European Commission, carbon consultants and environmental non-governmental organisations, as well as for academics in and outside the EU. Brussels on Wednesday presented its European Climate Law — the centerpiece of its Green Deal vision of radically slashing greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by mid-century. COM(2020) 80 final. On 4 March 2020, the Commission adopted its proposal for a European climate law and presented it to ministers at the Environment Council on 5 March 2020. The EU’s current emissions reductions target for 2030 is 40% compared to 1990. 10 Dec 2020 In what may seem a last ditch effort, the European Union has turned to the slow churning wheels of the law to stimulate climate action in 27 Member States (MS) towards a single goal: a carbon neutral Europe by 2050. To get more information about these cookies, how and why we use them and how you can change your settings, check our cookies policy page. The European Commission officially unveiled its Climate Law on Wednesday (4 March), aimed at making the EU carbon neutral by 2050. The Council retains the concept of an indicative, linear trajectory but only as a tool to help the Commission in assessing progress. The European Commission on Wednesday adopted proposals for Europe's first ever climate law. The negotiations on the European Climate Law will ramp up in the coming weeks. Also known informally as the EU Council, it is where national ministers from each EU country meet to adopt laws and coordinate policies. It decided to return to the issue at its December meeting with a view to agreeing a new emissions reduction target for 2030. In March the European Commission introduced a measure to make the 2050 climate-neutrality goal a law. Member States will also be required to develop and implement. It consists of the heads of state or government of the member states, together with its President and the President of the Commission. The EU's climate law will formalise its goal to have zero net greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, and a 2030 target to cut emissions faster than previously planned. The EU Climate Law is a first step in the right direction. The EU's and the member states’ climate action aims to protect people and the planet, welfare, prosperity, health, food systems, the integrity of eco-systems and biodiversity against the threat of climate change, to maximize prosperity within the planetary boundaries and to increase resilience and reduce vulnerability of society to climate change. The Commission conducted extensive analysis and stakeholder consultation in preparation of its strategic vision for a climate-neutral EU published in November 2018. The European Parliament says tougher action is needed to address the climate emergency. EU leaders signed off on the goal in December, but the bill is meant to turn their political commitment into law. This means achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions for EU countries as a whole, mainly by cutting emissions, investing in green technologies and protecting the natural environment. The public also had the possibility to provide feedback on the roadmap for the legislative proposal, with nearly 1000 contributions. The press office holds press events, offers audiovisual coverage of major events and provides facilities for journalists. The European Commission will unveil on Wednesday (4 March) the first-ever EU climate law - to make its goal of reaching climate-neutrality by 2050 irreversible and legally-binding for all member states. While Greta Thunberg watched on, the European Union (EU) has passed its long-awaited climate law that officially enshrines its 2050 net zero emissions target into law. However, the proposal has failed to improve the target for emissions cuts in 2030. It is important that we make as much progress as possible on this key piece of legislation. The General Secretariat of the Council is a body of staff responsible for assisting the European Council and the Council of the EU. EU countries and the Commission want the law to include a target to cut net emissions at least 55% by 2030 from 1990 levels, and say countries should collectively deliver the EU’s 2050 goal. The Commission will be empowered to issue recommendations to Member States whose actions are inconsistent with the climate-neutrality objective, and Member States will be obliged to take due account of these recommendations or to explain their reasoning if they fail to do so. The Council has amended the part of the original proposal which would have allowed the Commission to adopt, by means of delegated acts, a trajectory for achieving climate neutrality. Last week, the European Council invited the Council to take work on this agenda forward, and today, after an intense discussion, we were able to reach an important milestone as regards the proposal for a European climate law. Agreeing a partial Council position is an opportunity to consolidate the progress achieved during months of intense negotiations among member states - discussions at expert level started in March 2020 - and can help the Council to finalise its (full) general approach once agreement on the outstanding issues has been reached. On 17 September 2020, the Commission published a communication on the 2030 climate target plan, accompanied by a comprehensive impact assessment. The battle to turn the EU climate-neutral by 2050 begins now.