Environment Committee supports the European Commission’s plan/ Dispute over 2030 targets


The European Union is to become climate neutral. A large majority of the European Parliament’s Environment Committee supported this vision, which the European Commission presented last November. By 2050, forests or modern technologies that extract CO2 from the atmosphere will offset all remaining greenhouse gases emitted in Europe.
The environmental policy spokesperson of the largest political Group in the European Parliament (EPP, Christian Democrats) Dr Peter Liese supported the decision: “The European Commission has shown that the ambitious vision is possible without harming the economy or jobs. We can even generate additional jobs and economic growth. It is now important that the Council of the heads of state and government also adopt the plan at its summit on the future of Europe in Sibiu, Romania, in May”.



There was a dispute in the Environment Committee over the question of whether the EU's 2030 target should already be adopted now. The Commission rejects this, as does the largest group of the European Parliament However, a majority of 29:27 voted in favour of a 55% target. "I see a danger that the heads of state and government, who are opposed to an ambitious climate policy, will question the objective of climate neutrality if we question existing decisions too quickly. The Commission should first analyse this issue carefully. With strict implementation of existing laws, we will already overachieve our 40% target set in Paris. The development of new technologies will take some time and that is why I do not think it is wise to adopt the 55% target for 2030," said Liese.