The European Green Deal

The EU has developed a new growth strategy called the European Green Deal in response to the current environmental changes. This strategy aims to achieve a climate-neutral Europe by 2050 and requires zero net emissions of GHG. Its goal is to transform social and environmental challenges into opportunities and create a fair and prosperous society in the EU.

The Green Deal comprises 8 policy areas with plans for all sectors and industries. It aims to lower carbon emissions by promoting sustainable agriculture, environmentally friendly transport, waste mitigation, and the use of renewable energies.

1)
Increasing the EU’s climate ambition for 2030 and 2050

“Current policies will only reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 60% by 2050.”

  • The European Commission has a clear vision on how to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 through collaborating with the Member states to step up the EU’s efforts. In that manner the enforcement and implementation of legislation and policies relevant to the Green Deal can be enforced.

  • This decade is/will be all-decisive with the Green Deal being in force to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. Raising the level of ambition is necessary to make sure current actions are in line with the main goal. Therefore, the European Commission introduced the ‘Fit for 55’ package, which increased the reduction of greenhouse gases from 40% to at least 50%, preferably 55%. This package is integrated into the Green Deal and includes a set of proposals to revise and update EU legislation.

    If international partners do not share the same climate ambition as the EU, there is the risk of carbon leakage. This is the transfer of production to countries with lower ambition, or the replacement of EU products with more carbon-intensive imports. Carbon leakage needs to be avoided by all means.

  • The Commission has proposed the first European ‘Climate Law’ that provides predictability for investors and ensures an irreversible transition by setting out specific conditions. This will anchor the 2050 climate neutrality objective in legislation.

    These policy reforms will help to ensure effective carbon pricing throughout the economy and will encourage changes in consumer and business behaviour to facilitate an increase in sustainable public and private investment.

    The European Commission has proposed a carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) for selected sectors in 2021, aiming to reduce carbon leakage in the context of the Fit for 55 Package.

2)
Supply clean, affordable and secure energy

“In Europe between 50 and 125 million people still face energy poverty.” “In April 2020, the energy sector accounted for more than 75% of GHG emissions in Europe.”

  • According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), energy access is defined as reliable and affordable when it is sufficient to supply the basic needs of daily life. This is often understood as comprising access to clean cooking facilities and electricity. These instruments are vital to reduce poverty, improve economic growth and promote social rights.

    Clean energy, on the other hand, refers to the use of green, renewable sources that do not contribute to the emission of greenhouse gases.

  • Energy poverty is defined as having insufficient access to energy to provide for your basic needs. This widespread problem in Europe negatively impacts the mental and physical health of people who face energy poverty. Making it harder for them to find and keep a job and build social connections and affecting their personal well-being, economic growth and productivity of the whole society.

    Apart from the health and economic consequences, the innovation of the energy sector is necessary to achieve the targeted reduction in GHG emissions. This sector is held accountable for a large part of Europe’s emissions and moreover the development and investment in renewable, clean energy is also necessary.

  • Clean, affordable and secure energy will be the result of two things: the use of renewable energy sources and the improvement in energy efficiency.

    In 2019, all EU member states have delivered a National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP). This plan addresses how each country will tackle these issues in the period from 2021 to 2030.

    Additionally, the EC flags the following key principles:

    • Prioritizing energy efficiency

    • Developing a renewable resources-based energy/power sector

    • Securing affordable EU energy supply, being less reliant on other countries

    • Having an integrated digitised energy market

3)
Mobilising industry for a clean and circular economy

“Today only 1% of resources used in the manufacturing phase remain in use six months after the product is sold.”

  • A Circular Economy is an industrial system where the starting point is the reusability of products and raw materials, and the regenerative capacity of natural resources. This circular economy calls for the adoption of a sustainable product policy. It aims to minimize value destruction and pursue value creation in the total value chain. Waste is reduced and recycling is increased. The adoption of such an industrial policy will empower citizens, revitalize regions and will lead to better technologies.

    This policy area provides the switch to a green and circular design and production process. This ensures that the materials stay in the economy for as long as possible, the pressure on natural resources is reduced and pollution is minimized. Overall, this practice aims to double the EU’s circular material use rate, while reducing the EU’s carbon and material footprint.

  • This new industrial strategy will ensure the green transition and Europe’s competitiveness, as it offers new business and innovation opportunities. Additionally, adopting this circular production and consumption pattern will reduce waste and decrease pollution and GHG emissions related to the processing of waste.

  • In March 2020, the European Commission adopted the New Circular Economy Action Plan. This plan helps with building a sustainable industry and reducing pressure on natural resources.

    This new adopted plan is based on initiatives that take place along the entire life cycle of products and includes a sustainable product policy. It wants to empower consumers and ensure circularity and waste reduction in production processes. Besides, legislative principles will be introduced to improve durability, reusability, upgradeability and reparability.

    More specifically this plan calls for:

    • Addressing the so-called twin challenges of green and digital transformation: digital transformation needs to be leveraged to enable the green transition

    • Designing a sustainable product policy focused on the reduction and reuse of materials before the recycling

    • Measures to encourage consumers to reusable, durable and reparable product choices. This includes the provision of verifiable information.

    • The use of sustainable resources

    • Developing strategic partnerships in the value chain

4)
Building and renovating in an energy and resource efficient way

“Buildings are responsible for 40% of the EU’s energy consumption and 36% of GHG emissions.”

  • This policy area focuses on both new and existing buildings and wants to combat the sector’s current unsustainable methods.

    When new buildings are built, it is important that circular and energy-efficient methods are used. These methods should be employed when buildings are renovated as well to improve their energy efficiency.

  • 85% of European buildings were built over 20 years ago and thus most of them are not energy efficient and are still relying on non-renewable resources. As a result, these buildings waste a tremendous number of natural resources. Additionally, conventional materials used, such as concrete and steel, are major contributors to pollution. Therefore, it is important to manage this material policy sustainably.

    This policy area faces a double goal: the reduction of emissions and the enhancement of the energy efficiency and sustainability of buildings. This will result in the reduction of energy costs and emissions. On top, it helps to generate social, environmental and economic benefits for the whole community, because energy-efficient buildings will enhance the quality of life for people living in them.

  • The European Green Deal calls for a renovation wave. On the one hand, it focuses on the renovation of the pre-existing European buildings, addressing their energy performance. On the other hand, newly built buildings need to be built differently than before by using sustainable methods and materials.

    Above named strategy is built around 3 pillars that need to highlight the sustainable approach of this strategy:

    • Tackling energy poverty and worst-performing energy efficiency buildings

    • Focusing on public buildings and social infrastructure

    • Decarbonising heating and cooling

5)
A zero pollution ambition for a toxic free environment

The WHO warned that from 2015-2017 pollution caused an average of 9mio premature deaths.”

  • The European Green Deal’s sustainable mobility policy wants to put users first and provide them with more affordable, accessible, healthier and cleaner mobility habits.

  • Most transportation is still carbon-fuelled and is a big contributor to climate change. In urban areas, in particular, transportation puts pressure on people and the planet. It causes much nuisance such as congestion, noise and air pollution and in the long term people’s health can be affected.

    The improvement of sustainable mobility is crucial to both climate and people: it ensures economic and social inclusion. Fair and affordable mobility will improve the connectivity to the labour market and recreation. This results in better well-being. In addition, sustainable mobility is essential for the supply chain of goods and businesses.

  • First, green mobility will depend on zero- and low-emission vehicles. An adequate and green infrastructure will be necessary for these vehicles to be efficient. Everyone must have access to charging or fuelling points for electricity or hydrogen at any time. Additionally, carbon pricing will accompany the way to green mobility and lower pollution. Lastly, smart mobility is part of the smart city concept, and its unique feature is that instead of traditional ownership-oriented transactions, users receive access to ‘mobility as a service’ solutions.

    According to the official communication of the European Green Deal, there are five main points to tackle:

    • Boost multimodal transport needs. This measure aims to try to shift 75% of inland transportation into rail and inland waterways, and in aviation, trying to restart The Single European Sky project.

    • Automated and connected multimodal transport, by making the European transport system and infrastructure fit into a more automated system, to reduce traffic and pollution.

    • Reflect on the impact of transport on its price. Fossil-fuel subsidies will end and there will be an extensive revision of the Taxation Directive, especially focusing on aviation and maritime fuels.

    • Increase the production and deployment of sustainable alternative transport fuels.

    • Transport should become less polluting. The Commission is designing a pathway to set a combination of measures to reduce emissions, congestion and improve public transport, especially in cities, to try to reach a zero-emission Europe.

6)
Preserving and restoring ecosystems and biodiversity

“The population of wild species has declined by over 50% on average in the last two generations.”
“More than a quarter of species are threatened with extinction.”

  • Biodiversity loss has gained international attention and the European biodiversity strategy should halt this loss. Aspects of the strategy include management of forests and maritime areas, and environment protection. Moreover the issue of losses of species and ecosystems is addressed as well.

  • Humans have changed ecosystems more rapidly in the last century than at any period in history. Biodiversity and ecosystems have been dramatically declining, although these ecosystems provide essential services such as food, fresh water and clean air and shelter. The Earth is no longer capable of mitigating natural disasters, pests and diseases and cannot regulate climate anymore.

    Protecting and restoring nature is the best way to combat climate change and disease outbreaks. When ecosystems are restored, this will contribute to improve living conditions and enforce economic benefits as half of the GDP depends on nature.

  • On the one hand, this strategy focuses on restoring the affected nature through implementing organic farming methods, aiding pollination processes, restoring free-flowing rivers, reducing pesticides and reforestation. On the other hand, the strategy wants to protect the land and the sea. This requires an increased focus on safeguarding new and old-growth forests.

    The EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 includes the following targets:

    • Protect 30% of the sea territory and 30% of land territory especially primary forests and old-growth forests

    • Plant 3 billion trees by 2030

    • Restore at least 25,000 kilometres of rivers, so they will become free-flowing

    • Reduce the use of pesticides by 50% by 2030

    • Increase organic farming

    • Increase biodiversity in agriculture

    • Reverse the decline of pollinators

    • Give €20 billion per year to the issue and make it part of the business practice

7)
From farm to fork: a fair, healthy and environmentally friendly food system

“20% of the produced food goes to waste.”

“Food production contributes around 37% of global greenhouse gas emissions.”

“6 million of the population are unable to have a quality meal every second day.”

  • This policy area’s strategy aims to facilitate the transition toward a sustainable food system where food security is ensured for all. All actors of the food chain will have a role to play in the transition, especially farmers and fishers who are at the start of the supply chain. There are four elements in achieving the overarching goal of food sustainability:

    • Sustainable Food Production

    • Sustainable Food Processing and Distribution

    • Sustainable Food Consumption

    • and Food Loss and Waste Prevention.

    According to the European Commission, the F2F strategy is an opportunity to refresh farming policies and strengthen their contribution to creating a fair, healthy and environmentally friendly food system.

  • An increase in frequency and intensity of weather extremes threatens the current food production system and calls for a more resilient approach. This must be aligned with the expected growing demand and world population.

    There is a need to restructure our food systems, which today contribute to nearly one-third of global GHG emissions, consume large amounts of natural resources such as water, lead to biodiversity loss, pollution and poor health impacts (due to both malnutrition and overnutrition). Besides, it does not allow for equitable economic returns and livelihoods for all stakeholders, particularly for the key producers.

  • The European Green Deal wants to promote sustainable agriculture practices. Examples are organic farming, agroecology, agroforestry, and stricter animal welfare standards. The reduction of the use and the risk of chemical pesticides, fertilizers and antibiotics is central in this strategy.

    Furthermore, transparency needs to be enhanced along the chain through various food labelling policies. The stimulation of sustainable food consumption and promotion of affordable and healthy food for all are key elements in this strategy.

    The program includes the next targets:

    • Make 25% of EU agriculture organic, by the year 2030

    • Reduce by 50% the use of pesticides by the year 2030

    • Reduce the use of fertilizers by 20% by the year 2030

    • Reduce nutrient loss by at least 50%

    • Reduce the use of antimicrobials in agriculture and antimicrobials in aquaculture by 50% by 2030

    • Create sustainable food labelling

    • Reduce food waste by 50% by 2030

    • Dedicate to Research & Innovation related to the issue of €10 billion

8)
Acceleration the shift to sustainable an smart mobility

“25% of Greenhouse gas emissions result from transportation methods whereof road transport is the biggest contributor.”

  • The Zero Pollution vision for 2050 aims to reduce air, water and soil pollution to levels that are no longer considered harmful to human health and natural ecosystems. The policy area aims to adopt more systematic policies and regulations to enforce better monitoring and reporting of pollution.

  • Despite the significant progress in environmental pollution control, statistics show that there is still a long way to go. The fight against pollution is not only a fight for better health but also one for fairness and equality. Often vulnerable groups are more heavily impacted by health effects. It is shown that the benefits for society of limiting pollution outweigh the costs, as it improves livelihoods and economic growth.

    Moreover, pollution is one of the leading causes of global biodiversity loss. The disturbance of the natural ecosystems is shown to negatively impact humanity.

  • The Green Deal proposes a Zero Pollution Action Plan that intends to build a healthy Earth. It calls for higher standards for evaluating products on the market. While protecting health, this plan also aims to enhance global competitiveness.

    Six specific targets to reach this zero pollution are drawn up by the European Union:

    • Improve air quality to reduce premature deaths by 55%

    • Improve water quality by reducing (plastic) waste by 50% in the sea and reducing microplastics by 30%

    • Improve soil quality by reducing chemical pesticides by 50%

    • Reducing 25% of the EU ecosystems where air pollution threatens biodiversity

    • Reduce the share of people chronically disturbed by transport noise by 30%

    • Reduce waste generation by 50%