EU unveils its first climate law

Europe’s plan to transition to irreversible climate neutrality was rolled out by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on March 4, a move that will legally bind the EU’s 27 members to the bloc’s climate policies.
“The climate law is the legal translation of our political commitment and sets us irreversibly on the path to a more sustainable future. It is the heart of the European Green Deal,” said von der Leyen.
Reaching climate neutrality by 2050 has been the cornerstone of von der Leyen’s Green Deal, which she unveiled in December. The ambitious target calls for a reduction of emissions and increasing the number of greenhouse gases that are removed from the atmosphere to reach net-zero emissions.
EU Green Deal chief, Frans Timmermans, said that “the European Climate Law is a message to our international partners that this is the year to raise global ambitions together in the pursuit of our shared Paris Agreement goals.”
Timmermans stressed that as the bloc’s energy commitments will be enshrined into law, the EU-27 will now be “responsible for its delivery.”
The Commission also proposed setting a 2030-2050 EU-wide trajectory for cutting greenhouse gases, with the aim of measuring its progress.
A 12-week consultation on the European Climate Pact was also launched, through which citizens and stakeholders can have a voice in designing climate actions and showcasing solutions that could contribute to the fight against climate change.