Setting EU climate and energy targets that deliver

The European Union (EU) wants to become the first climate-neutral continent, at the latest by the year 2050. It has underpinned its greenhouse gas emission reduction target of 55% by 2030 with a set of policies and sub-targets. At a moment where global multilateral climate policy is missing leadership, the EU, however, is late with communicating interim targets for 2035 and 2040, as required under the Paris Agreement and its own Climate Law. 

Once these headline climate targets for 2035 and 2040 are set, further sub-targets, policies and measures will need to be developed to ensure these objectives will be reached. This publication answers 10 key questions that matter for the EU’s current decision-making process on climate and energy targets and policies. 

Moreover, it develops five policy proposals that could underpin a new ‘net-zero package’, a much-needed follow-up and improvement on the current ‘Fit for 55 package’. This net-zero package provides the core elements for a consistent EU strategy that can achieve the required greenhouse gas emission reductions with a set of multiple, complementary targets, policies and measures.