One step closer to climate neutrality: ENVI to vote on European Climate Law

15-09-2020 - 09:08
Half Earth Image furnished by Nasa protected by a hand preventing CO2 gas emissions, nuclear waste, oil waste, deforestation, global warming represented by hand drawn symbols
Long-term EU greenhouse gas emissions reduction in accordance with the Paris Agreement © Image used under the license from Shutterstock.com

On 10-11 September, the ENVI committee voted on the so-called Climate Law, a legal framework proposed by the Commission in March 2020 to establish the 2050 climate neutrality goal and prepare the EU climate target update for 2030. Jytte Guteland, rapporteur for ENVI, had published her draft report on 29 April.

It intends to strengthen the Commission proposal by emphasising the Member States' responsibility to uphold their commitments under the Paris Agreement and meet the set targets also on national level. It bolsters the 2030 target to 65% and insists that the trajectory towards the goal should be established via co-decision rather than delegated acts.
This week's votes covered more than 1000 ENVI amendments as well as several hundred amendments submitted by the opinion giving committees, many of which have been incorporated into the 15 compromise amendments agreed upon by the political groups.