European Union Tired of talking about climate change. Now it wants to act. The country, the world’s second largest economy, aims to become the first climate-neutral continent by 2050, reducing emissions by 55% by 2030 compared to her 1990 levels. trying to reduce. To achieve these milestones, the bloc’s executive body, the European Commission, announced a Green Deal in 2019. This is a proposal to fundamentally redesign Europe’s energy, food and transport systems. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said: “This is Europe’s moment on the moon.
Importantly, the Green Deal is still a proposal, not a concrete plan. Most have yet to be passed into law and some Member States will have to be convinced that the costs involved will be worth it. trillion dollars) of sustainable investment will be needed. Even agreed targets are not binding. EU official Thierry Breton says recently agreed law to phase out fossil fuel cars by 2035 will be postponed if it proves unrealistic suggested that it is possible.
Years of political struggle continue before the Green Deal and its proposals become a reality. But the plan offers a vision of how modern economies can be overhauled to fit a world that takes climate change seriously. If successful, this will be Europe’s new greener future.
sea power
The Green Deal plans to accelerate investments in renewable energy, especially offshore wind, tidal energy and other power sources that utilize the Block’s 68,000 km of coastline. But the Green Deal is not all about renewable energy. Hydrogen is also expected to become an important substitute for natural gas.
Electric Avenue
Imagine a future where highways are lined with charging points, bike lanes traverse cities and high-speed rail makes traveling easier. That is the Green Deal’s vision for a zero-emission future for transportation. However, this proposal does not mean the end of other modes of transportation. Instead, the plan is to run planes and ships on sustainable fuels.
renovation wave
Europe is famous for its picturesque buildings. Think Copenhagen’s colorful waterfront or Paris’ iconic rooftops. However, the European Commission has identified about 75% of them as energy inefficient. The Green Deal therefore proposes major renovations of existing residential, commercial and public buildings to ensure that all existing buildings are zero-emission by 2050.
future forest
Europe’s forests and woodlands face increasing threats from human activity, disease and forest fires. However, healthy forests are important for carbon storage and sequestration. That is why the Green Deal aims to improve both the quality and quantity of European forests.
From farm to table
The EU’s Farm to Fork strategy aims to reduce the environmental footprint of the bloc’s food system by significantly reducing the use of pesticides and reducing sales of antimicrobials, such as livestock antibiotics, by 50%. purpose. It also suggests finding ways to promote organic farming and increase the number of bees on farmlands.
blue economy
Over 4 million people work in the European marine industry and the Green Deal wants to reduce the environmental footprint across this ‘blue economy’. Alongside decarbonizing maritime transport, find ways to reduce microplastic pollution, reverse biodiversity loss, improve ship recycling, and encourage fishermen to collect litter and fishing gear lost at sea. means
scientific superpower
Much of the success of Europe’s Green Deal relies on environmentally friendly alternatives that can replace fossil fuels and solve the industry’s problems with waste. That’s why the EU is pouring huge sums into funding new ideas. So far, the €1 billion Green Deal research call has supported projects aimed at producing green hydrogen in Germany and predicting forest fires in Spain.
This article originally appeared in the January/February 2023 issue of WIRED UK Magazine.
