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(BRUSSELS) – The European Commission released a new proposal Wednesday to accelerate transition to low-carbon economy by cutting emissions in transport, agriculture and buildings sectors.
The Commission is proposing a new Regulation for annual greenhouse gas emission reductions for EU Member States for sectors not included in the EU Emissions Trading System, for the period 2021-30. The Regulation covers approximately 60 per cent of EU emissions, in transport, buildings, agriculture, and waste.
The proposals sets in particular the EU’s transport system on the path towards zero-emissions, said Energy Commissioner Maros Sefcovic. “Today’s package shows that we are mobilising all our policies towards the competitive, circular and low-carbon economy that we promised in the Energy Union Strategy,” he said.
The proposal is the Commission’s response to a 2014 commitment by EU leaders to collectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions of at least 40% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels across all sectors of the economy.
The proposal presents binding annual greenhouse gas emissions targets for Member States from 2021-2030 for the transport, buildings, agriculture, waste, land-use and forestry sectors as contributors to EU climate action.
The Commission also presented a strategy on low-emission mobility setting the course for the development of EU-wide measures on low and zero-emission vehicles and alternative low-emissions fuels.
Climate Action Commissioner Miguel Arias Canete said: “The national binding targets we are proposing are fair, flexible and realistic. They set the right incentives to unleash investments in sectors like transport, agriculture, buildings and waste management. With these proposals, we are showing that we have done our homework and that we keep our promises.”
In October 2014, the Heads of State or Government of the EU set a binding economy-wide domestic emissions reduction target of at least 40% by 2030 compared to 1990. All sectors of the economy should contribute to achieving these emission reductions.
To do so in a cost-effective manner, the industrial and power sectors covered by the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) will need to reduce emissions by 43% by 2030 compared to 2005. Other sectors of the economy as transport, buildings, agriculture, waste, land-use and forestry would need to reduce emissions by 30% by 2030 compared to 2005.
European Strategy for low-emission mobility Factsheet and supporting analysis
European Commission DG CLIMA news – website (including legal documents)
