Climate Law

The first European Climate Law presented by the Commission

The Commission has presented the first European Climate Law. The act writes into law the target set out in the European Green Deal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and become climate-neutral by 2050. The Commission also proposes a new EU target for 2030 greenhouse gas emissions reductions to ensure its consistency with the climate-neutrality objective for 2050. 

Achieving net-zero emissions for EU countries should be done by investing in green technologies and protecting the natural environment. The overall objectives of the Climate Law are to set a long-term plan to reach climate-neutrality in 2050 through all EU policies in a socially-fair and cost-efficient way, create a system for monitoring progress and take further action if needed and ensure that the transition to climate neutrality is irreversible.

The Climate Law measures and actions will be adjusted 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. The act will ensure that all EU policies contribute to this goal and that all sectors of the economy and society play their part.

The Commission’s proposal can be found here.