Carbon Neutrality Agreement: ENVI Committee’s New EU Climate Law

On 20 April 2021, the European Parliament reached an informal agreement with the Council of the European Union and the European Commission during a trilogue on the new EU climate law. The European Union and its Member States could engage for carbon neutrality by 2050.

In his statement, Pascal Canfin, President of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENV Committee), highlighted an ambitious target for 2030: carbon emissions will be reduced by 57% compared to 1990. The creation of the High Council for the Climate and a dedicated budget for carbon are the two main pillars of this new law.

Jytte Guteland (Rapporteur and Member of the ENVI Committee) provided some details regarding the application of this law in a Q&A interview. The transition to renewable energy sources will create new job opportunities and foster skill transfer. This change will include new methods to train workers. The European Union will play a great role in this through fund programmes, such as Erasmus+ 2021-2027. The choice of energy sources, such as nuclear power or sustainable resources, will remain in the hands of EU Member States.

This new text was voted on at the European Parliament on 10 May 2021, adopted by the deputies with 52 votes against 24.

 

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