(Montel) The EU’s 2030 target to cut its emissions by at least 55% from 1990 levels by 2030 has gained its final approval as the EU Council formally adopted the draft EU climate law containing it on Monday.
The law will enter into force – become binding – 20 days after being published in the EU’s official journal and will apply directly to the bloc’s 27 countries.
The council, which represents EU national governments, signed off the text approved last week by the European Parliament that both parties had agreed informally in April.
The climate law requires EU governments to prioritise actual emissions reductions over CO2 removals using so-called carbon sinks such as forests in their contributions to the overall net 55% cut target.
This means the EU could cut net emissions by nearly 57% if national governments implement the law fully, given the agreed limits on using carbon sinks.
Carbon neutrality
The climate law also makes the EU’s goal to have net zero emissions by 2050 binding and includes a plan for setting a 2040 CO2 cut target.
The EC proposed the stricter 2030 CO2 cut target of 55%, up from 40%, to help the EU meet its new 2050 goal.
It also plans to propose updates to other EU energy and climate legislation, including the EU ETS, renewable and energy efficiency directives, energy taxation and a carbon border adjustment mechanism, on 14 July to align these with the stricter 2030 target.
The council, which represents EU national governments, signed off the text approved last week by the European Parliament that both parties had agreed informally in April.
The climate law requires EU governments to prioritise actual emissions reductions over CO2 removals using so-called carbon sinks such as forests in their contributions to the overall net 55% cut target.
This means the EU could cut net emissions by nearly 57% if national governments implement the law fully, given the agreed limits on using carbon sinks.
Carbon neutrality
The climate law also makes the EU’s goal to have net zero emissions by 2050 binding and includes a plan for setting a 2040 CO2 cut target.
The EC proposed the stricter 2030 CO2 cut target of 55%, up from 40%, to help the EU meet its new 2050 goal.
It also plans to propose updates to other EU energy and climate legislation, including the EU ETS, renewable and energy efficiency directives, energy taxation and a carbon border adjustment mechanism, on 14 July to align these with the stricter 2030 target.
