Committing to climate-neutrality by 2050: Commission proposes European Climate Law and consults on the European Climate Pact
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UNCCD Library
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Web resource
Today, the Commission presents a proposal to enshrine in legislation the EU's political commitment to be climate neutral by 2050, to protect the planet and our people. The European Climate Law sets the 2050 target and the direction of travel for all EU policy, and gives predictability for public authorities, businesses and citizens. At the same time, the Commission is launching a public consultation on the future European Climate Pact. Through this consultation the public will be involved in co-designing this instrument.
President Ursula von der Leyen said: “We are acting today to make the EU the world's first climate neutral continent by 2050. The Climate Law is the legal translation of our political commitment, and sets us irreversibly on the path to a more sustainable future. It is the heart of the European Green Deal. It offers predictability and transparency for European industry and investors. And it gives direction to our green growth strategy and guarantees that the transition will be gradual and fair.” 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. Progress will be reviewed every five years, in line with the global stocktake exercise under the Paris Agreement.
The EU's ambition to become the first climate-neutral bloc in the world by 2050 is at the heart of the European Green Deal presented by the von der Leyen Commission on 11 December 2019.
The Commission first set out its vision for a climate-neutral EU by 2050 in November 2018, in line with the Paris Agreement objective to keep the global temperature increase to well below 2°C and pursue efforts to keep it to 1.5°C. The European Parliament endorsed the EU objective of achieving net zero greenhouse gases on 14 March 2019. On 12 December 2019, the European Council endorsed the objective of a climate neutral EU by 2050.
The Climate Law also addresses the pathway to get to the 2050 target: Read further from the source
President Ursula von der Leyen said: “We are acting today to make the EU the world's first climate neutral continent by 2050. The Climate Law is the legal translation of our political commitment, and sets us irreversibly on the path to a more sustainable future. It is the heart of the European Green Deal. It offers predictability and transparency for European industry and investors. And it gives direction to our green growth strategy and guarantees that the transition will be gradual and fair.” 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. Progress will be reviewed every five years, in line with the global stocktake exercise under the Paris Agreement.
The EU's ambition to become the first climate-neutral bloc in the world by 2050 is at the heart of the European Green Deal presented by the von der Leyen Commission on 11 December 2019.
The Commission first set out its vision for a climate-neutral EU by 2050 in November 2018, in line with the Paris Agreement objective to keep the global temperature increase to well below 2°C and pursue efforts to keep it to 1.5°C. The European Parliament endorsed the EU objective of achieving net zero greenhouse gases on 14 March 2019. On 12 December 2019, the European Council endorsed the objective of a climate neutral EU by 2050.
The Climate Law also addresses the pathway to get to the 2050 target: Read further from the source
Keywords
climate-neutral
Europe
environmental governance
environmental legislation