EU Climate Action

The urgency to take decisive climate action has never been greater, and at the European Commission we’ve been busy working on that in 2023. Here are some of the highlights of the past 12 months.

At the end of COP28, the EU and world leaders recommitted to delivering the Paris Agreement goals and limiting the global average temperature increase to 1.5 C. They agreed to accelerate emission reductions towards net zero by 2050, with urgent action in this critical decade. This includes transitioning away from fossil fuels and reducing global emissions by 43% by 2030.

At the World Climate Action Summit in Dubai, President Ursula von der Leyen launched the Global Pledge on Renewables and Energy Efficiency together with the COP28 Presidency and 118 countries.

Under the Global Methane Pledge, launched by the EU and the US, more than 150 countries are now implementing a collective goal of reducing global anthropogenic methane emissions by at least 30% by 2030, from 2020 levels.

The Commission has published its assessment of EU Member States' draft National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) and issued recommendations to assist Member States in raising their ambitions in line with EU targets for 2030. The final Plans must be submitted by 30 June 2024.

In 2022, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions generated by economic activities of EU resident units stood at 3.6 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalents (CO2-eq). This indicates a 22% decrease compared with 2008, according to Eurostat.

Under the Modernisation Fund, €2.17 billion has been disbursed today to help modernise the energy systems in nine Member States through 19 selected projects. These investments will help lower-income EU countries to meet their 2030 climate and energy targets and will reduce greenhouse gas emissions in energy, industry and transport, and improve energy efficiency.

The newest batch of highly innovative clean technology projects will receive funding from the EU’s Innovation Fund, one of the world’s largest funding programmes for the demonstration of innovative low-carbon technologies.

The Commission has selected 17 small-scale innovative clean tech projects to receive over €65 million in project support under the EU Innovation Fund. These funds will help companies in Europe, including small businesses, to bring breakthrough technologies to the market in energy-intensive industries, renewable energy, and energy storage.

The European Commission has welcomed the provisional agreement reached between the European Parliament and Council on updated EU rules to decarbonise the gas market and create a hydrogen market.

This deal will help the EU build a renewables-based energy system, lower energy bills and better protect consumers from price spikes and empower them to benefit from the transition.

Bulgaria will receive €1.2 billion from the Just Transition Fund (JTF), following the adoption of Bulgaria's Territorial Just Transition Plans (TJTPs) by the European Commission.

The European Commission has welcomed the provisional agreement reached between the European Parliament and the Council to reduce the emissions and energy use of buildings across the EU.

EU Member States have endorsed a Commission proposal to invest €594 million of EU funds in eight cross-border energy infrastructure projects under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) for Trans-European Networks for Energy.

One year on from the Kunming-Montréal Global Biodiversity Framework agreed at the United Nations Conference on Biodiversity (COP15), the EU has made progress in implementing the deal but more needs to be done ahead of COP16 in October 2024.

European cities committed to sustainability can apply for the 2026 edition of the European Green Capital and Green Leaf Awards by 30 April 2024.

While the festive season is a time for treats, it also generates huge amounts of waste in the form of non-recyclable wrapping paper, plastic decorations and uneaten food. Here are our low-effort holiday hacks to lessen your festive waste!

Is your organisation eager to address the climate crisis and contribute to a sustainable future? You could be an ideal candidate to become a European Climate Pact Partner. The application deadline has been extended to 15 January!

During #COP28, we've been taking you behind the scenes at to meet our 🇪🇺 negotiators, ambassadors, and policy experts👋 Now's the chance to meet some of our #EUatCOP28 communications team who was on the ground in Dubai💥

#COP28 made the headlines over the last weeks💥🗞️ But what exactly were the main outcomes of the Conference? And how did the #EUatCOP28🇪🇺 team push for more international climate action?🌍

2⃣0⃣2⃣3⃣ Warmest. Year. On. Record. 2023 has now had six record breaking months. November had, for the first time ever, two days with a global temperature 2ºC above preindustrial levels. Together, these extreme temperatures confirm that 2023 will be the warmest year in recorded history. 🌡️🌍 This serves as a stark reminder that we need to work together to drastically reduce emissions. That is why the 🇪🇺 has pushed for stronger climate ambition, finance, and global energy goals at #COP28.

The first progress report on the climate and environmental objectives of the 8th Environment Action Programme (8EAP) published by the European Environment Agency highlights what needs to be done to achieve the EU’s 2030 environmental targets.

The full implementation of NextGenerationEU (NGEU) measures financed by the NGEU Green Bonds can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 44 million tonnes per annum, according to the NGEU Green Bonds Allocation and Impact Report.

Uncovering the intertwined nature of climate change, biodiversity loss and financial risk, this research by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) paves the way for sustainable and resilient economic strategies.

A first time panoramic look at Small Island Developing States (SIDS) shows they face a drastic increase in coastal flood risk due to rising sea levels caused by climate change, according to a JRC-led study.

Launched by the European Commission, the Pact is part of the European Green Deal and is helping the EU to meet its goal to become climate-neutral by 2050 | Check out the links below to visit the Pact website and subscribe to the Pact newsletter!