EU to draft climate change law to implement bloc's Green Deal ahead of Climate Summit

EU negotiators are aiming to strike a deal to put legislation in place in order to meet its current 2030 climate and energy targets via an accord that would implement the bloc's Green Deal. Europe aims to become the world’s first climate-neutral continent by 2050, and plans to further cut emissions by at least 55 percent. A global climate change summit of nearly 40 leaders of the world this week will also focus on drafting deals with the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitters, including the EU. The two-day summit to be held on April 22-April 23 will be presided by the US and China, the world’s two largest carbon polluters. 

The virtual climate summit, which will be live-streamed for public viewing, will be a road to the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) this November in Glasgow and will underscore the urgency and the economic benefits of stronger climate action. Ahead of the summit, the European Commission and European Parliament to hold the last round talks of European Climate Law. EU has been racing to formulate a deal with approval from member states and the EU assembly to cut its greenhouse gas emissions and set tougher targets by June to eliminate net carbon emissions by 2050.

“Alongside reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the EU is also taking action to adapt to the impacts of climate change. “By 2050, Europe aims to be a climate-resilient society,” the EU said on its official website dedicated to climate action. 

EU’s Green Deal is at the heart of its climate action, which includes several measures for ambitiously cutting greenhouse gas emissions, investing in cutting-edge research and innovation, to preserving Europe’s natural environment. The EU Climate Law under the Green Deal initiative includes the 2050 climate-neutrality objective into EU law. While the 2030 Climate Target Plan aims to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 percent by 2030 from 1990 levels.

To revise all policy instruments

The commission plans to hold a review by June 2021 to revise all relevant policy instruments to deliver additional greenhouse gas emissions reductions. By setting up more robust targets for the climate laws, the EU also hopes to lead the international negotiations to ramp up the ambition of major emitters ahead of the United Nations climate change conference in Glasgow (COP26).  EU Parliament's lead negotiator,  Jytte Guteland, slammed the previously set emission targets as not ambitious enough and reportedly added that he was hoping for a deal to make the EU's economy more sustainable. EU has also mobilized at least €100 billion for the period between 2021-2027 under the Just Transition Mechanism to move towards a green economy.