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Road transport is responsible for almost a fifth of the EU's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The revision of the regulation on CO2 emission limits for new cars and vans under the 'fit for 55' package ensures an increasingly higher share of clean vehicles on European roads. All new cars registered after 2035 must be zero-emission vehicles. The new Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR) meanwhile provides for roll out of the necessary recharging points.

Manufacturing and trade in firearms for civilian purposes employs around 150 000 people in the EU. In 2020, the Commission adopted a 2020-2025 action plan on firearms trafficking to help curb the illegal flows of firearms, and ammunition, while also strengthening the legal market. The adoption of Directive (EU) 2021/555 on control of the acquisition and possession of weapons in 2021was the first legislative outcome of the plan. In October 2022, the Commission presented a proposal for a regulation ...

On 14 July 2021 the European Commission adopted the 'fit for 55' package, which adapts existing climate and energy legislation to meet the new EU objective of a minimum 55 % reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030. The 'fit for 55' package is part of the European Green Deal, which aims to put the EU firmly on the path towards climate neutrality by 2050. A key element in the 'fit for 55' package is the revision of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED II), to help the EU deliver the new ...

Innovative technologies in the field of geothermal energy focus on three areas: (i) resource assessment, (ii) resource development, and (iii) resource utilisation and management for electricity, heat supply and mineral extraction (lithium). They include increased electric power system efficiency, novel and optimised drilling technologies, underground thermal energy storage, new exploration methods, closed loops, smart systems, and 3D models. Advanced plants and technologies include ultra-deep geothermal ...

The EU's automotive sector is resource-intensive. There are 286 million motor vehicles on the road in the EU, and every year around 6.5 million vehicles become waste. If improperly managed, these vehicles may cause environmental damage and the economy may lose millions of tonnes of materials. Ensuring better sustainability and circularity of the European automotive sector would help to achieve the goals of the EU Green Deal, improve the competitiveness of the sector, and reinforce the EU's strategic ...

The carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) puts a price on the carbon emissions of goods imported into the EU, thus levelling the playing field between EU industry, which is subject to a carbon price in the EU emissions trading system (EU ETS), and foreign producers in countries that do not have an equivalent system in place.

Europe is grappling with increased wildfires due to climate extremes, with protected areas especially vulnerable and fires in contaminated lands presenting distinctive challenges. European response mechanisms are constructive, but they require enhanced comprehensive management strategies, including community involvement and preventive measures. The Cohesion Policy funds aids against wildfires, yet issues with governance, focus, and fund distribution limit its effectiveness. More emphasis on prevention ...

The revised Effort-sharing Regulation (ESR) establishes more ambitious binding targets for each Member State for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in key sectors, and brings the effort-sharing legislation into line with the upgraded EU-wide emissions reduction target for 2030 to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.

The revision of the Land Use, Land-use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) Regulation effectively increases reduction in overall net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2030 to 57 %, from the 55 % required by the European Climate Law. This is thanks to an EU target for carbon dioxide removals in the LULUCF sector.

As announced in the EU biodiversity strategy for 2030, on 22 June 2022 the European Commission tabled a proposal for a nature restoration regulation. The proposed regulation would set multiple binding restoration targets and obligations across a broad range of ecosystems, from forests and agricultural land to urban areas, rivers and marine habitats, complementing other existing legal instruments. Altogether, these nature restoration measures should cover at least 20 % of the EU's land and sea areas ...