What the EU does
Taking action against climate change is essential for a safe and prosperous future, in Europe and globally. This is why the EU is committed to becoming the world’s first climate neutral continent by 2050. Climate action goes beyond lowering greenhouse gas emissions: our initiatives boost innovation and competitiveness of European industry, support clean growth, improve security, and strengthen resilience. The EU works with Member States to drive and implement a socially just transition that benefits all Europeans.
The EU’s main climate policy objectives are to
- decarbonise and reduce emissions to make the European economy more competitive
- integrate climate action into all EU policies
- boost innovation through research and investment
- put citizens at the heart of the clean and just transition
- empower communities to adapt and build resilience to climate impacts
- lead global efforts on climate mitigation, adaptation and finance
Facts and figures
Areas of action
Goals and rules for the EU to become climate-neutral
Actions to prepare for current and future effects of climate change
Addressing climate and nature crises together
A 'cap and trade' system to reduce emissions cost-effectively
Using technology to reduce industrial CO₂ emissions
Reducing emissions from powerful greenhouse gases
Removing CO2 from the atmosphere, and storing it for the long term
Taking action for a sustainable, climate-friendly use of land
Reducing emissions on roads, at sea, and in the air
Curbing ozone-depleting substances
Key achievements
- In 2023, EU greenhouse gas emissions were 37% lower than in 1990, mainly due to a rise in renewable energy. This boosts confidence in the EU's ability to meet the 2030 climate target of reducing emissions by at least 55%.
- Emissions from electricity production and heating decreased by 24% between 2022 and 2023, driven by more wind and solar energy and the shift away from coal.
- The EU emissions trading system (EU ETS) plays a key role by making polluters pay for their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, cleaner alternatives, and generating revenues to finance the green transition. By 2023, it has cut emissions from power and industry plants by some 47%, compared to 2005.
- To protect people from more frequent extreme weather, like heatwaves, droughts and floods, the EU’s adaptation strategy ensures smarter, faster and more effective action.
- The Innovation Fund is one of the world’s largest funding programmes supporting net-zero and innovative technologies. It helps decarbonise European industry, while fostering its competitiveness. Financed through the EU emissions trading system (EU ETS), it will provide around €40 billion from 2020 to 2030, based on a carbon price of €75/tCO2.
- Climate change is a global phenomenon, and cutting emissions in the EU alone is not enough. That’s why the EU promotes climate action worldwide.
- To achieve global climate neutrality, the European Commission engages actively in multilateral negotiations, under the United Nations’ Framework Convention on Climate Change at annual COPs (Conferences of the Parties). The EU has helped achieve major milestones, including the Paris Agreement and new funding to assist vulnerable developing countries.
- The EU, its Member States and the European Investment Bank, are the biggest contributor of public climate finance for developing countries. At COP 29 in Baku, countries agreed to double their climate finance goals to USD 200 billion per year by 2030 under the New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance.
In focus
The Innovation Fund is the EU’s main fund for climate policy, focusing on energy and industry. It plays a key role in meeting the EU’s climate and energy goals, including the Paris Agreement.
The fund supports cutting-edge technologies and flagship projects that significantly reduce emissions. It helps share risks with project promoters and focuses on highly innovative projects.