Is The EU Doing Enough To Combat Climate Change?

UNITED STATES—As one of the largest economies and political entities in the world, the European Union (EU) plays a critical role in the global fight against climate change. Over the years, the EU has introduced a range of policies and initiatives aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, increasing the share of renewable energy, and promoting energy efficiency. However, with the increasing urgency of the climate crisis, the question arises: Is the EU doing enough to combat climate change? In this blog post, we will discuss the EU’s climate policies, their effectiveness, and the potential areas for improvement.

Climate and Energy Policies

The EU has been at the forefront of global climate action, implementing a variety of policies and targets aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting renewable energy. The European Green Deal, announced in 2019, is a comprehensive plan to make the EU climate-neutral by 2050, encompassing a wide range of initiatives and policies, including the European Climate Law, which legally binds the 2050 climate-neutrality target. 

One of the EU’s most significant climate policies is the Emissions Trading System (ETS), which puts a cap on the total amount of greenhouse gases that can be emitted by large-scale industries and power plants, and allows companies to trade emission allowances. This market-based approach incentivizes businesses to reduce their emissions, with the cap gradually decreasing over time.

Additionally, the EU has set ambitious targets for renewable energy and energy efficiency. For instance, the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) requires EU countries to achieve a collective target of 32% renewable energy by 2030. This has led to the growth of the renewable energy market in Europe, with companies increasingly entering into Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) to secure renewable energy supply. The emergence of PPA Europe platforms has facilitated the growth of corporate renewable energy sourcing, further boosting the transition to clean energy.

Effectiveness of EU Climate Policies

There is no doubt that the EU’s climate policies have had a positive impact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting the adoption of renewable energy. Since 1990, the EU has managed to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by over 24%, while the share of renewable energy in the EU’s energy mix has more than doubled between 2004 and 2019.

However, critics argue that the EU’s climate policies are not ambitious enough to adequately address the urgency of the climate crisis. For example, the 2050 climate-neutrality target is considered by some to be too distant, with calls for more aggressive near-term targets to drive rapid decarbonization efforts. Furthermore, while the ETS has been successful in reducing emissions in certain sectors, it has been less effective in others, such as transportation and agriculture, which require sector-specific policies and measures.

Potential Areas for Improvement

To enhance the effectiveness of its climate policies, the EU must focus on several key areas. Firstly, strengthening the ETS by tightening the cap on emissions and raising the carbon price can incentivize businesses to reduce their emissions more quickly. Expanding the scope of the ETS to include sectors that are currently not covered, such as aviation and shipping, could also help reduce emissions from these hard-to-decarbonize industries.

Secondly, the EU should set more ambitious near-term targets for renewable energy and energy efficiency. While the current 2030 targets are a step in the right direction, more aggressive targets are necessary to accelerate the transition to a clean energy system. This could include revising the RED to increase the share of renewable energy required by 2030 and introducing more stringent energy efficiency standards for buildings and appliances.