The Diplomat
Negotiators from the Council and the European Parliament yesterday reached a provisional political agreement on the future European Climate Law, proposed in 2020 by the Commission with the dual objective of reaching climate neutrality by 2050 and achieving a 55% net reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
“We have European Climate Law”, declared the fourth vice-president of the Government and Minister for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, Teresa Ribera, on her official Twitter account. “Early this morning, the European Parliament, the Commission and the EU Council have reached an agreement”, she continued. “Congratulations, and special thanks to the Portuguese presidency, to João (João Pedro Matos Fernandes, her Portuguese counterpart), to Frans Timmermans (first vice-president of the European Commission and responsible for the European Green Pact) and to Jytte Guteland (Swedish MEP and rapporteur of the report on the European Climate Law)”, the minister declared. “Excellent news, on the eve of Earth Day”, she concluded.
Negotiators from the Council and the European Parliament reached in the early hours of yesterday morning (in the presence of Frans Timmermans) a provisional political agreement for the implementation of “the law of laws that set the frame for the EU’s climate-related legislation for the 30 years to come”, Matos Fernandes stated. “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”, he continued. “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”, he concluded.
The Commission welcomes today’s provisional agreement between the co-legislators on the European Climate Law. “Our political commitment to becoming the first climate neutral continent by 2050 is now also a legal commitment. The Climate Law sets the EU on a green path for a generation. It is our binding pledge to our children and grandchildren”, said President Ursula von der Leyen.
The European Council, in its conclusions of 12 December 2019, agreed on the objective of achieving a climate-neutral EU by 2050, in line with the objectives of the Paris Agreement, while also recognising that it is necessary to put in place an enabling framework that benefits all member states and encompasses adequate instruments, incentives, support and investments to ensure a cost-efficient, just, as well as socially balanced and fair transition, taking into account different national circumstances in terms of starting points.
On 4 March 2020, the European Commission adopted its proposal for a European climate law, as an important part of the European Green Deal. On 17 September 2020, the Commission adopted a proposal amending its initial proposal to include a revised EU emissions reduction target of at least 55% by 2030. The Commission also published a communication on the 2030 climate target plan, accompanied by a comprehensive impact assessment. On 10-11 December the European Council in its conclusions, endorsed a binding EU target of a net domestic reduction of at least 55% in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to 1990. The Council adopted a general approach on 17 December 2020, after which the Council and the Parliament launched a series of trilogue meetings with the aim of securing an agreement on the final text.
