Fit-For-55: The EU climate targets

The EU Commission's climate protection package was presented on July 14, 2021. It stipulates that Europe should become climate-neutral by 2050 and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. The EU Climate Law sets out these targets in law for the first time. To this end, the EU Commission has submitted proposals for more than 12 legislative amendments. They are intended to implement the new climate targets.

Two key EU-wide instruments for reducing greenhouse gas emissions are EU emissions trading and the EU Climate Change Regulation. While emissions trading primarily affects the energy sector and industry, the Climate Change Regulation formulates targets for the vast majority of activities outside emissions trading (i.e. in particular for the transport, buildings, small industrial plants and agriculture sectors). With the Land Use Sector Regulation (LULUCF), the effects of forest and soil management on the climate will also be integrated into the European climate protection framework from 2021.