Climate action

What the EU does

Taking action against climate change is essential for a safe and prosperous future, in Europe and globally. This is why the EU is committed to becoming the world’s first climate neutral continent by 2050. Climate action goes beyond lowering greenhouse gas emissions: our initiatives boost innovation and competitiveness of European industry, support clean growth, improve security, and strengthen resilience. The EU works with Member States to drive and implement a socially just transition that benefits all Europeans.

The EU’s main climate policy objectives are to

decarbonise and reduce emissions to make the European economy more competitive
integrate climate action into all EU policies
boost innovation through research and investment
put citizens at the heart of the clean and just transition
empower communities to adapt and build resilience to climate impacts
lead global efforts on climate mitigation, adaptation and finance

Facts and figures

55% EU’s emission reduction target for 2030

€40 billion Innovation Fund investments in innovative clean technology from 2020 – 2030

2050 target year for EU climate neutrality

Areas of action

European Climate Law

Goals and rules for the EU to become climate-neutral

Adaptation and resilience

Actions to prepare for current and future effects of climate change

Climate and nature

Addressing climate and nature crises together

Emissions Trading System (EU ETS)

A 'cap and trade' system to reduce emissions cost-effectively

Industrial Carbon Management

Using technology to reduce industrial CO₂ emissions

Fluorinated greenhouse gases

Reducing emissions from powerful greenhouse gases

Carbon removals and carbon farming

Removing CO2 from the atmosphere, and storing it for the long term

Land use sector

Taking action for a sustainable, climate-friendly use of land

Transport

Reducing emissions on roads, at sea, and in the air

Ozone layer

Curbing ozone-depleting substances

Key achievements

In 2023, EU greenhouse gas emissions were 37% lower than in 1990, mainly due to a rise in renewable energy. This boosts confidence in the EU's ability to meet the 2030 climate target of reducing emissions by at least 55%.
Emissions from electricity production and heating decreased by 24% between 2022 and 2023, driven by more wind and solar energy and the shift away from coal.
The EU emissions trading system (EU ETS) plays a key role by making polluters pay for their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, cleaner alternatives, and generating revenues to finance the green transition. By 2023, it has cut emissions from power and industry plants by some 47%, compared to 2005.
To protect people from more frequent extreme weather, like heatwaves, droughts and floods, the EU’s adaptation strategy ensures smarter, faster and more effective action.
The Innovation Fund is one of the world’s largest funding programmes supporting net-zero and innovative technologies. It helps decarbonise European industry, while fostering its competitiveness. Financed through the EU emissions trading system (EU ETS), it will provide around €40 billion from 2020 to 2030, based on a carbon price of €75/tCO₂.
Climate change is a global phenomenon, and cutting emissions in the EU alone is not enough. That’s why the EU promotes climate action worldwide, notably by taking part in the UN Climate Change Conference (COP).
To achieve global climate neutrality, the European Commission engages actively in multilateral negotiations, under the United Nations’ Framework Convention on Climate Change at annual COPs (Conferences of the Parties). The EU has helped achieve major milestones, including the Paris Agreement and new funding to assist vulnerable developing countries.
The EU, its Member States and the European Investment Bank, are the biggest contributor of public climate finance for developing countries. At COP 29 in Baku, countries agreed to double their climate finance goals to USD 200 billion per year by 2030 under the New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance.

In focus

EU reinforces the stability and predictability of its carbon market

The EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) has helped us massively reduce fossil fuel consumption, lower our dependence on imports and drive major investments in clean energy. However, in a context of heightened energy price volatility and geopolitical tensions, it needs to be modernised and made more agile.

The Commission has announced a new measure to reinforce the EU ETS by strengthening the Market Stability Reserve, the instrument that ensures a stable, well-functioning carbon market.

The proposed change will stop the automatic invalidation of excess carbon allowances, keeping them as a buffer to support the stability of the market. This will better equip us to respond to future market developments, including potential tightness in supply in the coming decades.

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