The EU has just updated its climate target for 2030 and most of the policy instruments in place to achieve it. Does this toolbox have all the items needed to achieve the shift to net-zero emissions by 2050? This discussion paper by Oeko-Institut and Ecologic Institute addresses and analyses the main pillars of the EU's climate policy identifies crunch issues on the path towards climate neutrality and offers potential solutions.

A new paper by Öko-Institute and Ecologic Institute contributes to the upcoming discussion on the EU climate target for 2030 and the accompanying review of central policy instruments and governance structure. The paper highlights interlinkages between relevant processes at the European level and those under the Paris Agreement. An overview diagram visualizes the current timeline of these processes and helps to identify critical moments and windows of opportunity in the next few years, for raising EU ambition. Another figure helps to understand the key levers of the target setting.

In 2014, the European Union committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. The Commission also proposes to aim for full greenhouse gas neutrality by 2050. On behalf of the BMU, Öko-Institute and Ecologic Institute are investigating how these goals can be achieved and what options are available to raise ambition of midterm goals and measures.