Consent on Climate Law termed major step to climate-neutral EU

Minister of the Environment and Climate Change Krista Mikkonen on Wednesday termed the Agreement on European Climate Law a major step towards a climate-neutral Europe. ​​​​​​​

“The Agreement on the Climate Law is a major step towards a climate-neutral Europe. Now we must focus on implementing the targets and to the European Commission’s legislative package expected in June,” said Mikkonen, as cpper a press release issued by the Ministry of the Environment.

The EU member states, the European Parliament, and the EU Commission reached a provisional agreement on the European Climate Law early on Wednesday.

With this law, achieving the objective of a climate-neutral EU by 2050 is written into binding legislation. The Climate Law also includes the EU’s climate target of

at least 55% emission reduction by 2030.

“Most of the emission reductions should take place in the emissions-trading sector. The 55% target must be seen as the minimum, and the EU’s measures and incentives must be designed in such a way that the target will be exceeded,” said Mikkonen.

“Climate Law is also an important signal for the Leaders’ Climate Summit hosted by the United States at the end of this week. The targets written into the legislation will prove that the EU is a reliable partner in international climate policy: we are systematically incorporating our promises into binding legislation. We are doing our part, and with our solutions and policy measures, we urge others to do the same,” added the minister

The European Climate Law is the first major legislative instrument on climate policy in the context of the European Green Deal.

The preliminary agreement that has now been reached is still pending formal adoption by representatives of the EU member states and the European Parliament.