The European council and Parliament agree the EU should be climate-neutral by 2050 and net greenhouse gas emissions are reduced by at least 55% by 2030.
Yesterday, 5th May 2021, the European council and the European Parliament’s negotiators reached a provisional political agreement setting into law the objective of a climate-neutral EU by 2050, and a collective, net greenhouse gas emissions reduction target (emissions after deduction of removals) of at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990.
“We are very happy with the provisional deal reached today. The European climate law is “the law of laws” that sets the frame for the EU’s climate-related legislation for the 30 years to come. The EU is strongly committed to becoming climate neutral by 2050 and today we can be proud to have set in stone an ambitious climate goal that can get everyone’s support. With this agreement we send a strong signal to the world – right ahead of the Leader’s Climate Summit on 22 April – and pave the way for the Commission to propose its “fit-for-55″ climate package in June.” Said João Pedro Matos Fernandes, Minister of Environment and Climate Action
CO2 Reduction is better than removal: To meet the 2030 emissions target, priority will be given to reducing emissions, over emissions removals and set a of 225 Mt of CO2 equivalent to the contribution of removals to the net target.
Other elements of the provisional agreement include the establishment of a European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change; an intermediate climate target for 2040; and the Commission would engage with sectors of the economy that choose to prepare indicative voluntary roadmaps towards achieving the Union’s climate neutrality objective by 2050.
The provisional political agreement is subject to approval by the Council and Parliament, before going through the formal steps of the adoption procedure. The provisional agreement was reached by the Council’s Portuguese Presidency and the European Parliament’s representatives, based on mandates from their respective institutions.
Our take on this: The goals are ambitious, but achievable. In the office imaging sector, keeping existing technology longer and increasing reuse are just two ways we can contribute to the targets. It also calls into question recent “sustainability” announcements by a couple of OEMs. More on that in an upcoming feature.
