European Union

The EU wants to find solutions for the environmental crisis and tries to ensure the Paris Agreement will be executed to reach climate neutrality. At COP 28, the EU was in the vanguard on pronouncing the end of fossil fuels. It was agreed that cutting down the greenhouse emissions was necessary. The EU wanted to limit the rise in temperature to 1,50C. There are some conditions that postpone EU policy over climate change and the adoption of renewable energy sources. The EU imports large amounts of fossil fuels. This energy was provided by Russia, but now, due to the Russo-Ukrainian War, the EU is countering its dependence on Russia. Therefore, the EU is trying to increase the usage of renewable energy sources and to reduce the consumption of energy. There is a growing debate about “overgrowth” and “degrowth”. The EU adopted the green and inclusive growth, seeking to reconcile economic growth with sustainability, and prefers not supporting the degrowth as central policy. The EU engages extensive discussions about alternatives to growth and its policies are focused on how to reform growth models for the environmental and social challenges.

Road vehicles constitute the biggest source of transport emissions in the EU, estimated to be 71%. Vehicles powered by fossil fuels such as petrol, diesel and gas, may continue to exist, but the EU has plans for cleaner cars and vans. By 2030, emissions from cars and vans should be reduced by half compared to 2021. Five years later new cars and vans in the EU will have to be zero emission. New vehicles will have to be either electric or powered by hydrogen. Therefore, more infrastructure for the supply of this sources will have to be build.

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