The European Commission has unveiled its new EU industrial strategy. Given the significant climate impacts coming from industry, the Commission missed the chance to land the Green Deal in the strategy and ensure deep reductions in industrial emissions, a key step to achieve climate neutrality.
EU ministers called on the European Commission to accelerate the proposal of a new EU target to cut emissions by 2030, at an environment council taking place today. Achieving net-zero emissions by mid-century means the EU needs to substantially ramp up its emissions reduction for 2030 in line with the international deadline, COP 26 in November this year.
Montenegro has introduced own cap and trade system for its major CO2 emitters (1), thereby signaling the beginning of the end to free emissions in countries of the Western Balkans - region that’s home to some of Europe’s most polluting coal-fired power plants (2). Nevertheless, to succeed, the Montenegrin scheme will need a tighter cap.
Today's leak of the European Climate Law shows the Commission's intention to set higher climate targets and subject them to a five-year review mechanism, but fails to commit to speed up the proposal to increase the EU’s 2030 climate target. The timely and substantial enhancement of the 2030 target is however key if the EU is to lead by example before this year’s crucial climate conference.
Read more: Leaked EU Climate Law fails to set the required pace of urgent climate action
The North Macedonian government has approved a national energy strategy [1] that makes it the first country in the Western Balkans to consider a coal phase-out before 2030.
Read more: North Macedonia government contemplates prompt coal exit