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European Union
Europe aims to become the world’s first climate-neutral continent and its policies will play a decisive role in global efforts to cut emissions, transform the economy and drive international climate ambition.
One of the largest historical emitters of greenhouse gases, the 27-nation European Union has in recent decades adopted increasingly ambitious climate and energy policies. In 2019, the European Commission presented the European Green Deal [link to the topic page] as a new paradigm for Europe’s economic development. With the Green Deal, the EU aims to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 at the latest, with a 55% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to 1990 levels.
European climate and energy policies are essential to achieving this fundamental transformation. They cover topics such as carbon pricing through an emissions trading system (EU ETS) and a carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM), scaling renewable energy across sectors and supporting its integration into the power system, enhancing energy and materials efficiency and circularity, and ensuring that energy markets support the progressive decarbonisation of the economy. The EU’s approach also includes public funding to complement private investments into the continent’s energy transition.
Based on rigorous analysis and dialogue with decision-makers and stakeholders, Agora Energiewende develops recommendations on how to advance the European Green Deal and ensure its effective implementation. We engage with Brussels-based stakeholders and - directly or in cooperation with think tank partners – also with stakeholders in several European countries.
