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To help meet the EU's goal of climate neutrality by 2050, the European Commission today presents the EU Strategy on Offshore Renewable Energy. The Strategy proposes to increase Europe's offshore wind capacity from its current level of 12 GW to at least 60 GW by 2030 and to 300 GW by 2050. The Commission aims to complement this with 40 GW of ocean energy and other emerging technologies such as floating wind and solar by 2050.

The Commission today adopted its 2018 Fuel Quality Report based on the data submitted by EU countries. According to the data provided, the average greenhouse gas intensity of fuels in the 28 reporting Member States had fallen by 3.7% compared to the 2010 baseline. The year-on-year progress achieved compared to 2017 was limited to a 0.3% decrease. Progress varied greatly across Member States, but almost all need to take swift action to meet the 2020 target of 6%.

The Commission is finalising the preparations for the period 2021-2030 of the EU ETS (phase 4), starting on 1 January 2021.

The European Commission has adopted its annual report on the functioning of the European carbon market. The report covers 2019 and certain developments in 2020.

In response to the first call for large-scale projects of the Innovation Fund, the European Commission received 311 applications for innovative clean tech projects in renewable energy, energy-intensive industries, energy storage, and carbon capture, use and storage.

The European Commission has approved an investment package of more than €280 million from the EU budget for over 120 new LIFE programme projects. This EU funding will trigger total investments of nearly €590 million to help meet these projects' ambitious goals for environment, nature, and climate action. This amount represents a 37% rise compared to last year.

The European Commission has launched four open public consultations on forthcoming revisions to the laws designed to limit the EU’s emissions of greenhouse gases.

The Commission has today put forward a proposal for a new Environment Action Programme to 2030. The programme urges the EU to move towards a regenerative economy that gives back to the planet more than it takes, recognising that human wellbeing and prosperity depend on healthy ecosystems within which they operate.

The LIFE Awards 2020 Citizens’ Prize voting is open. Discover this year's finalists and support your favourite LIFE project. The winner will be announced on 21 October during the online LIFE Awards Ceremony at the EU Green Week.

In response to the EU LIFE programme’s 2020 call for climate action projects, the European Commission has received 258 new proposals. This represents a 55% rise on last year’s figures. It also shows a growing commitment to tackle and adapt to climate change.

The European Commission presented today an EU strategy to reduce methane emissions. Methane is the second biggest contributor to climate change, after carbon dioxide. It is also a potent local air pollutant causing serious health problems. Tackling methane emissions is therefore essential to reaching our 2030 climate targets and the 2050 climate neutrality goal, as well as contributing to the Commission’s zero-pollution ambition.
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The Commission adopted today the 2020 State of the Energy Union Report and its accompanying documents focused on different aspects of EU energy policy. This year’s Report is the first one since the adoption of the European Green Deal, and looks at the Energy Union’s contribution to Europe’s long-term climate goals.
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The European Commission has published today its Renovation Wave Strategy to improve the energy performance of buildings. The Commission aims to at least double renovation rates in the next ten years and make sure renovations lead to higher energy and resource efficiency.
This will enhance the quality of life for people living in and using the buildings, reduce Europe’s greenhouse gas emissions, foster digitalisation and improve the reuse and recycling of materials. By 2030, 35 million buildings could be renovated and up to 160,000 additional green jobs created in the construction sector.
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The Commission has published two reports on more climate-friendly alternatives to the damaging F-gases used in split air-conditioning systems and in electrical switchgear.

The European Commission hosted in October a series of webinars to showcase successful LIFE and Horizon 2020 projects in the areas of agriculture, food systems, forestry, and the bioeconomy. The presentations of these webinars are available for download.

On 25 September 2020, financiers and industry representatives gathered virtually to discuss how public and private investors can join forces to deliver the European Green Deal and repair economic damage from the COVID-19 crisis. Watch the recording of the event.

On 23 and 24 September 2020, the European Commission organised the 2nd Carbon Farming Roundtable to present the results of the study “Analytical support for the operationalisation of an EU Carbon Farming Initiative”. Watch the recording of the event.

A research team across institutions in China and the US has published an article on the health and economic benefits of China’s greenhouse gas mitigation by 2050. TNO in the Netherlands has modelled the possibility to use domestic low-carbon energy sources to help Madagascar reach its GHG emissions reduction target. And researchers in Brazil have included carbon revenue recycling schemes in the TEA model.