Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The EU is close to achieving its key climate objective for this decade, as the current CO2-reduction strategies of member states are projected to bring the European Union within just 1 % point of the target, according to the EU Commission.
The European Union is poised to decrease its net greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, relative to 1990 levels, nearing its legally mandated target of a 55% reduction, according to an investigation by the European Commission of existing approaches in the European Union and its member nations.
What does the EU Commission’s new analysis reveal?
The EU Commission, which serves as the executive body of the European Union, derived its assessment from the latest climate plans submitted by countries in recent months. This assessment indicates that the European Union is on target to reduce emissions by 54 percent by 2030, showcasing progress for the bloc, which had previously expressed concerns about potentially failing to meet its 2030 objectives based on earlier climate strategies.
The analysis revealed that governments have intensified their actions to reduce emissions over the past two years despite the European Union encountering political pushback from certain countries urging Brussels to relax its green agenda.
What sectors are lagging in EU emission reductions?
The EU is experiencing the fastest warming among continents, with more frequent climate change-related floods that destroy crops and lethal wildfires affecting its member states. Meanwhile, industries are struggling with soaring energy costs due to Moscow’s reduction of gas supplies in 2022, and the looming threat of US tariffs adds pressure. Consequently, there are increasing demands from governments for the European Union to relax environmental regulations to support businesses in distress.
Wopke Hoekstra, the European climate chief, stated that the European Union will increase investments in clean technologies to help industries benefit from the EU’s green transition.
“Emissions have decreased by 37% since 1990, even as the economy has expanded by almost 70%. This shows that climate action and economic growth can coexist. We now need to build on this progress momentum,” Hoekstra said.
How has the energy sector contributed to the European Union’s progress?
The European Commission highlighted significant advancements in the energy sector, noting that renewable sources accounted for 24% of the European Union’s energy requirements in 2023. However, it mentioned that agriculture and transport remain behind in this progress.
Additionally, the environmental consequences of land use, encompassing agriculture and forestry, have worsened due to unprecedented wildfires that reduce the land’s carbon storage capacity. The European Commission indicated that the European Union’s natural ecosystems, such as grasslands and forests, will likely not see improvements in carbon storage by 2030.
