"If we invest hundreds of billions of euros to rescue our economic system from this pandemic, we must not throw money into the old economy. We must guide our societies towards a cleaner and healthier future, a future our children can embrace with hope, not with fear." With these words, the First Vice-President of the European Commission Frans Timmermans, addressing the European Parliament on 6 October, reiterated that the European Green Deal is and remains at the top of the list of priorities. Now more than ever. This ambitious green transition pathway sets out from a firm starting point: the development model we have pursued until now is no longer sustainable, because it consumes too many natural resources and condemns the future of the climate. From this stem three imperatives: zeroing out greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, decoupling economic growth from resource use, and ensuring that no person and no place is left behind. A mission that "requires a systemic modernisation of the economy, society and industry," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stressed in her State of the Union address. "It means building a stronger world to live in."

Frans Timmermans @F__Timmermans

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Let me be very clear: this is going to be bloody hard to do. But it can be done. The sooner we start, the lower the cost.

And just imagine the costs of inaction, of horrible storms like in Limone, or another monthly Gota Fría. Those costs are huge

#ClimateLaw #ClimateNeutralEU

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Zeroing out net greenhouse gas emissions by 2050

Lowering greenhouse gas emissions to such a degree that they are entirely offset by what the soil, oceans and forests are able to absorb. That is what carbon neutrality means. The European Union has been on this path for some time: proof of this is the fact that, between 1990 and 2018, emissions fell by 23 per cent. And not because the economy was stagnant, as was instead the case during the lockdown that in spring 2020 brought about a reduction in greenhouse gas concentrations that was merely illusory and temporary. On the contrary, over the 28 years in question the continent's GDP grew by as much as 63 per cent. Yet another demonstration that a thriving economy can go hand in hand with protecting the climate.

From now on, however, we need to press harder on the accelerator. This is what the data from the Emissions gap report 2019 published by the United Nations Environment Programme (Unep) tell us. To keep the rise in global temperatures within 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, as stipulated by the Paris Agreement, global emissions will need to be cut by 7.6 per cent every year. This for ten years, from 2020 to 2030. The role of G20 countries, which are responsible for 78 per cent of planetary emissions, is central. Together with China, India, Mexico, Russia and Turkey, the European Union is among the six virtuous actors that, according to projections, will manage to meet their nationally determined contributions (i.e. their CO2 reduction pledges) simply by applying policies already in place. But that may not be enough. Even if all states were to scrupulously honour the commitments made under the Paris Agreement, temperatures could rise by as much as 3.2 degrees by the end of the century.

It is for this reason that the European Commission has raised the stakes, in the hope of setting a good example to other global powers as well. The 2030 climate and energy framework, currently in force, envisages reducing emissions by at least 40 per cent compared to 1990 levels. The possibility of revising this target upwards has long been debated. Following a public consultation and an in-depth impact assessment, the Commission has decided: it will propose raising it to 55 per cent by 2030, still using 1990 levels as the reference point. To make this announcement, Ursula von der Leyen chose a key moment — her first State of the Union address. This means "reducing emissions in the next decade as much as we managed to do over the last 25 years," Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal Frans Timmermans clarified. Parliament went further, voting for a climate law that pushes the target to as much as 60 per cent. The matter now passes to the European Council, which will give its verdict before the end of this year.

Ursula von der Leyen ✓ @vonderleyen

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To become the 1st climate-neutral continent, we're proposing to increase the 2030 target for emission reduction to at least 55%. I recognise this is too much for some & not enough for others. But our economy & industry can manage this. And they want it, too.

#EUGreenDeal #SOTEU

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Decoupling economic growth from resource use

For centuries, the wealthiest portion of humanity has been anchored to a flawed way of thinking. It has consumed the planet's resources without restraint, in the mistaken belief that this was its right, and that it was an indispensable precondition for growing the economy. The think tank Global footprint network has devised a very direct way of showing the consequences. It is called Overshoot day and is the day on which all the resources the Earth is capable of generating in a year are technically exhausted. In 2019 it fell on 29 July: it had never happened so early. Wwf's calculations reveal that in Europe it actually arrived much sooner, on 10 May. If the world's 7.6 billion inhabitants were to follow the same lifestyle as the average European citizen, 2.8 planets would be needed to meet their needs.

2020 was an indisputably abnormal year, because the coronavirus pandemic paralysed productive activity for months, emptied schools and offices, and kept planes grounded in hangars. For the first time, therefore, Overshoot day shifted forward by as much as three weeks, to 22 August. That is no reason to lower our guard, however. EU member states continue to consume at rates well above the average: despite the lockdown, the Netherlands and Germany have been in deficit with the Earth since 3 May, Italy since 14 May (on a par with France), Portugal and Spain since 25 and 27 May respectively. The European Green Deal is also, and above all, a plan for a new economy that makes more judicious use of the planet's resources, redressing these imbalances.

There are many ways to reduce our consumption of nature's resources. Some involve individual lifestyles, others require a rethinking of companies' production processes. For several years now, the Union has been championing the paradigm of the circular economy, whereby every product must be designed using the smallest possible quantity of virgin raw materials and with a view to being repaired, recycled or reused. The continent already boasts some centres of excellence — including Italy — but there is still a long way to go, as evidenced by the fact that today only 12 per cent of the materials used by industry come from recycling. The European Green Deal therefore renews and strengthens this commitment through a circular economy action plan. The latter will incentivise, among other things, the product-as-a-service model, whereby the consumer is not required to purchase a good but can use it for as long as needed; the sorting, reuse and recycling of textiles; the replacement of single-use items with durable alternatives; and the reduction of waste along with its proper disposal and recycling.

Ensuring that no person and no place is left behind

The direction of this journey is mapped out, but the starting point is not the same for everyone. There are trailblazers such as Norway, where half of the cars sold in March 2019 were electric or hybrid. Or Germany, which this year is approaching the threshold of 50 per cent of electricity generated from renewable sources. Moving eastward, however, one encounters the hard core of the fossil economy.

In Poland, coal accounts for just under 80 per cent of energy production and 47 per cent of supply, as well as providing work for 80,000 people (although in 1990 there were as many as 400,000). At the end of September, the government and trade unions reached an agreement to close the coal mines, but with very long timescales: the deadline was set for 2049. The single dirtiest energy source also plays a dominant role in the Czech Republic, with serious repercussions for air quality. In Bulgaria, the poorest state in the European Union, 7 million people live: 14,500 work directly in the coal sector, with a further 46,800 doing so indirectly. The examples could go on at great length, touching very closely on Italy too. One need only think of the former Ilva steelworks in Taranto, on which the economic fortunes of 8,000 families depend.

To look with enthusiasm towards a green future, it is also essential to take on board the needs of these territories and the people who live in them. Frans Timmermans has been very clear on this: "The transition is just: it must be, otherwise there will be no transition at all." From the determination to "leave no one behind" comes the just transition mechanism, with which Europe wants to mobilise up to 150 billion euros.

EU Social 🇪🇺 @EU_Social

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Moving to a greener economy will have a bigger impact in some regions & sectors than others.

The Just Transition Mechanism will protect the most vulnerable people across Europe: europa.eu/!QF87Mn

#EUGreenDeal #SocialRights

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Workers in the fossil fuel sector will be offered new employment opportunities, training and reskilling. At the same time, the Union will facilitate access to clean energy sources at favourable prices and improve the energy efficiency of their homes, pushing back the prospect of energy poverty. The most polluting businesses will be supported through the transition by means of a mix of investments, easier access to loans, research and development activities, while also incentivising the creation of new SMEs and startups. Targeted support is also planned for national and regional administrations, for the creation of new jobs, infrastructure, public transport, heating and energy production facilities, and digital connectivity networks. All united by a reduced environmental impact.