Towards climate neutrality in the European Union

The European Union (EU) has significantly reduced its net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions since 2005. However, the pace of reductions must accelerate substantially—more than doubling the average annual rate observed between 2005 and 2022—if the EU is to achieve its 2030 target of at least a 55% net reduction in GHG emissions compared to 1990 levels, and climate neutrality by 2050. Additional efforts are needed across all sectors, i.e. energy, transport, industry, buildings and others. In addition, attention is needed regarding the land use, land-use change, and forestry (LULUCF) sector, where the carbon sink has sharply declined since 2015. Achieving the 2030 target depends on the effective implementation of the Fit for 55 package, especially at the national level. This paper1 provides a brief overview of the EU’s climate ambition and presents key findings and recommendations of the European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change (hereinafter referred to as the Advisory Board) on the consistency of EU and national measures with the overarching climate neutrality objectives.