European Green Deal for Emission Reductions

The European Commission welcomes the provisional agreement reached last night with the European Parliament and Council to make the targets of the EU Effort Sharing Regulation (ESR) more ambitious. This agreement sets binding annual greenhouse gas emission targets for Member States in sectors not currently included in the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS). The agreement largely maintains the Commission’s proposal to increase the emission reduction target for these sectors from 29% to 40% by 2030, compared to 2005 levels.
The updated emission reduction targets for Member States range from -10% to -50% compared to 2005 and will lead to further convergence of per capita emissions among Member States by 2030. The sectors covered by the Effort Sharing Regulation are buildings, agriculture, waste, small industries, and transport. Examples of possible measures that Member States can take to reduce emissions and achieve their targets include: promoting public transport; measures for building renovation; more efficient heating and cooling systems; and more climate-friendly agricultural practices.
This agreement is the final step in approving the Commission’s “Fit for 55” legislative package aimed at implementing the European Green Deal, following the recent agreement to end the sale of new CO2-emitting cars in Europe by 2035. With COP27 in full swing, this agreement once again demonstrates that the EU is delivering on its climate commitments, moving forward with concrete actions. In the context of Russia’s aggressive war against Ukraine, it also shows that the EU is not lagging in its green transition, but rather accelerating efforts to become the world’s first climate-neutral continent by 2050.