On Wednesday, 28 June, the European Commission adopted the Member States’ annual emission allocations for 2023, 2024, and 2025. This determines the maximum level of greenhouse gas emissions that each Member State can generate per year in the sectors covered by the European Union’s effort-sharing legislation (see EUROPE 13141/11).
The European Commission has thus aligned the annual emission allocations for the period in question with the more ambitious national targets that were agreed upon for 2030, as defined by the European ‘Green Deal’. The targeted objective is to reduce the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions, in the sectors affected by effort sharing, 40% compared with 2005 levels (the previous objective for 2030 was a 30% reduction).
And with good reason: these sectors—which include domestic transport, buildings, agriculture, small industry, and waste—are reportedly responsible for approximately 60% of all greenhouse gas emissions in the EU. The remaining emissions are covered by the EU Emissions Trading System (see EUROPE 13164/13) and the Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) Regulation (see EUROPE 13062/15).
As far as the EU’s achievements in the effort-sharing sectors are concerned, greenhouse gas emissions fell 16.3% between 2005 and 2020—surpassing, according to the European Commission, the 10% reduction target set out in the Effort-sharing Decision.
Member States must now update their national energy and climate plans for the 2021–2030 decade, defining the policies and measures needed to reach their 2030 targets. A first draft of the update is expected by 30 June 2023, and the final update must be submitted to the European Commission by 30 June 2024.
See the European Commission decision: https://aeur.eu/f/7tp (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)