The European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change (ESABCC) published, on Thursday 15 June, a report assessing the EU’s climate targets for 2040 and its “greenhouse gas budget” for the period 2030-2050. The conclusions highlight the urgent need for ambitious action to combat climate change, in line with the objectives of the Paris Agreement.
The report recommends maintaining the EU’s “greenhouse gas emissions budget” at between 11 and 14 gigatonnes for the period 2030-2050 in order to limit global warming. To meet this target, the EU must aim for net emissions reductions of 90-95% by 2040 compared to 1990 levels.
The report also stresses the importance of feasibility and equity in determining emissions reductions. More than 1,000 EU emissions scenarios have been analysed, taking into account short-term environmental risks and technological challenges. The Advisory Board has identified a gap between achievable trajectories for EU national emissions and estimates of the fair share of the EU’s contribution to global emission reduction efforts based on different ethical principles. To close this gap, the EU should aim for the upper limit of achievable reductions and seek support and cooperation from outside the EU.
The scenarios assessed highlight the significant deployment of wind and solar power, the electrification of energy consumption and the scaling up of alternatives to fossil fuels, such as hydrogen. These routes could lead to the EU’s electricity sector becoming almost completely decarbonised by 2040.
To read the report: https://aeur.eu/f/7k1 (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)