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Following the EU elections on 6-9 June, a new European Parliament is in place, and a new European Commission will be established soon. EU heads of state and governments will shortly decide on the EU’s strategic priorities for the next policy term. The European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change has previously issued 13 key policy recommendations to advance the EU’s transition towards climate neutrality. These recommendations remain highly relevant and are now accessible in eight EU languages.
Following the recent elections, the European Union (EU) will soon enter a new policy term. In the coming weeks, the EU’s strategic priorities will become the centre of political discussions. As an independent body providing the EU with scientific knowledge, expertise, and advice relating to climate change, the European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change evaluates policies and identifies actions and opportunities to successfully achieve the EU’s climate targets. At the beginning of this year, the Advisory Board made 13 key recommendations to policymakers on how the EU can achieve its commitment to reach climate neutrality by 2050. This advice will remain highly relevant in the coming years.
Prof. Ottmar Edenhofer, Chair of the Advisory Board, commented: “As we enter a new policy term, difficult tasks await policymakers across Europe. While the EU must adjust to new global realities, the impacts of climate change on the continent are becoming increasingly severe, with rapid and dangerous changes affecting citizens from east to west and north to south. This term will be a defining moment for European policymakers. Decisions made in the coming years will be immensely important for current and future generations, and staying the course on the EU’s climate objectives is more crucial than ever. To deliver on its ambition and commitments by 2050, the EU must first and foremost ensure rapid and effective implementation of the legislative package adopted to reach the EU’s 55% emission reduction target by 2030, and adopt a milestone target for 2040 that is both fair and feasible. Climate action goes hand in hand with improving EU’s energy security, making its industry more competitive and creating new jobs. As emission reductions take time to materialise, now is the time for the EU to invest in a prosperous, resilient and sustainable future for all Europeans.”
Recommendations for climate progress in the EU
On 18 January 2024, the European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change published the report 'Towards EU climate neutrality: progress, policy gaps and opportunities’. In the report, the Advisory Board recommends a series of actions to put the EU on track towards climate neutrality. Based on an assessment of more than 80 indicators, the Advisory Board found that more efforts are needed across all sectors to achieve the EU climate objective in 2050. The Advisory Board acknowledges the potential of the Fit for 55 policy package to speed up EU’s greenhouse gas reductions, but additional measures are needed if the EU is to achieve its climate neutrality objective by 2050 at the latest.
To help achieve the EU’s climate objectives, the Advisory Board outlined 13 key recommendations. These call for decisive political action in the coming years, both to effectively implement recently agreed-upon legislation and to start preparations for the post-2030 climate policy framework.
Advice available in eight EU languages
The summary as well as the 13 key recommendations of the report 'Towards EU climate neutrality: progress, policy gaps and opportunities’ are now accessible in the following eight EU languages:
Thematic analysis and recommendations available separately
Do you have a specific interest? For easy access to specific topics in the report 'Towards EU climate neutrality: progress, policy gaps and opportunities’, you can now download the individual chapters (in English):