Climate law: agreement reached between the European Parliament and the Council

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April 21, 2021 The provisional political agreement reached between the Council and the Parliament establishes as law the goal of a climate-neutral European Union by 2050 and the collective goal of net reductions in polluting emissions of "at least 55%" by 2030 compared to 1990 values. "We are very satisfied with the provisional agreement reached. The European climate law is 'the law of laws' that defines the framework for EU climate legislation for the next 30 years", he stressed. in a note, the Portuguese Minister for the Environment and Action, Joao Pedro Matos Fernandes, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the EU.

Reaching an agreement on this fundamental aspect of the so-called climate law allows the EU to present itself with a reinforced message of environmental challenge at the virtual summit convened for tomorrow by the head of the White House.

"I am delighted to have reached an agreement on this central element of the European Green Deal. Our political commitment to become the first climate-neutral continent by 2050 is now also a legal commitment. Climate law puts the EU on a green path for a generation. It is our binding commitment to our children and grandchildren, "commented Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Negotiators agreed on the need to give priority to reducing emissions and, in order to ensure that sufficient efforts are made to reduce and prevent them by 2030, a limit of 225 Mt CO2 equivalent to the contribution of removals to the target has been introduced. net. Furthermore, the Union aims to achieve a greater volume of net carbon sink by 2030.

Other elements of the interim agreement, subject to approval by the Council and Parliament prior to the formal stages of the adoption procedure, include the establishment of a European Scientific Advisory Committee on Climate Change, made up of 15 senior scientific experts of different nationalities with no more than 2 members holding the nationality of the same Member State for a term of four years. This independent council will, among other things, provide scientific advice and reports on EU measures, climate targets and indicative greenhouse gas balances and their consistency with European climate law and international commitments of the 'EU under the Paris Agreement.

The Commission will propose an interim climate target for 2040, if appropriate, no later than six months after the first global assessment under the Paris Agreement. At the same time, it will publish an indicative EU greenhouse gas budget forecast for the period 2030-2050, together with its basic methodology.