EU is only partly on track to achieve environmental and climate objectives

With the European Green Deal, the European Union has attributed itself a pioneering role in the fight against climate change. However, the new report shows that only limited progress has been made compared to 2023 for the objectives in the field of environment, climate and sustainability.

There are good points for reducing air pollution, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and stimulating green investments. However, the Union is not on track for four other indicators. This concerns the emissions of greenhouse gases from land use and forest management, the doubling of circular use of materials, ensuring that 25 percent of the agricultural area is grown organically and restricting the ecological footprint. The EU is also not on track in terms of reducing energy consumption and scaling up renewable energy.

Leena Ylä-Monons, director of the European Environment Agency, therefore calls on the European Union to shift an acceleration higher. “Decisive actions are needed. (…) That means a thorough implementation of existing legislation, additional measures where necessary and ensure sufficient financing to achieve our climate, environmental and sustainability objectives. ”

The eighth Mileuaction Program (8EAP) draws the chalk lines for European environmental policy by 2030 and is part of the European Green Deal.