European Union leaders have agreed to cut emissions by at least 55% by 2030, an increase from its previous reduction target of 40% by the same date; the more aggressive goal will keep momentum on the topic going at a time when incoming US President Joe Biden is expected to rejoin the Paris Agreement, points out Bloomberg.
The EU goal, proposed by the European Commission in September, was not unexpected; however, it met with resistance at a summit in Brussels when Hungary, the Czech Republic and Poland unexpectedly blocked the deal. The plan will require a significant push to renovate and retrofit buildings to make them more energy efficient, as well as overhauls of the energy and transport sectors, writes Deutsche Welle. The updated commitment comes a day before the UN’s Climate Summit, where the EU will announce its new goal.
EU greenhouse gas emissions dropped by 24% between 1990 and 2019, while the economy grew around 60% during the same period, according to the Commission.
