The leaders of the European Union are poised to adopt a new emission-reduction target level at the next summit in December in a bid to achieve the goal of complete climate neutrality by 2050, according a press release issued by the European Council after the summit on Thursday
BRUSSELS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 16th October, 2020) The leaders of the European Union are poised to adopt a new emission-reduction target level at the next summit in December in a bid to achieve the goal of complete climate neutrality by 2050, according a press release issued by the European Council after the summit on Thursday.
"To meet the objective of a climate-neutral EU by 2050 in line with the objectives of the Paris Agreement, the EU needs to increase its ambition for the coming decade and update its climate and energy policy framework," the press release read.
This is specifically about the half-way target levels of emission-reduction for the year of 2030, which the council has currently eyed at 55 percent from the 1990 level. The European Council said it expected all member states to contribute to the effort while "taking into account national circumstances and considerations of fairness and solidarity."
"The European Council will return to the issue at its December meeting with a view to agreeing a new emissions reduction target for 2030 and the submission of the EUʼs updated nationally determined contribution (NDC) to the UNFCCC before the end of the year," the press release stated.
Until then, the council suggested that the European Commission launch in-depth consultations with the member states to assess their specific situation.
The EU's climate goals are enshrined in a document called the European Green Deal. It boils down to multiple micro-goals such as the prioritization of renewable energy sources over fossil fuels and the decoupling of economic growth from the use of resources under an arch-target of making Europe a completely climate neutral continent with net zero carbon emissions by mid-century.
While the initial target level for the 2030 milestone was set at 40 percent reduction of emissions, the European Commission called for making it 55 percent and the European Parliament voted to make it 60 percent while the World Wide Fund urged for as much of a reduction as 65 percent.
