The second progress report on the climate and environmental objectives of the 8th Environment Action Programme (8EAP) published by the European Environment Agency on Thursday shows that the EU is partially on track towards its 2030 climate and environmental goals and targets, demonstrating that more must be done.
The assessment shows positive progress in certain areas, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving air quality, and promoting green finances. However, more effort is needed to reverse the declining trend in biodiversity and ecosystems, achieve systemic change across systems (e.g. food, energy, & mobility), and ensure well-being for all within planetary boundaries.
This report highlights the urgency of implementing agreed legislation and finalising pending legislative acts proposed by the Commission. It also recognises the importance of setting new initiatives, such as boosting water resilience and delivering systemic changes in energy, industry, agriculture and mobility. Accompanying measures need to be stepped up to enable effective and correct legislation implementation on the ground.
Progress is expected in shifting taxation from labour to activities using more resources and causing more pollution. In addition, more progress is needed across the EU to phase out environmentally harmful subsidies, in line with the commitment of the Global Biodiversity Framework.
To ensure we live within the planetary limits, more progress is also needed in sustainable production and consumption patterns, to reduce excessive use of materials and energy. Resource overuse leads to higher levels of air, water and soil pollution and leads to significant pressure on ecosystems and biodiversity. Addressing production and consumption will also help the EU economy to become more efficient and sustainable while boosting competitiveness, resilience and strategic autonomy.
The trends and assessments have not changed since the first report. The only exception is energy consumption, for which the assessment slightly improved. Despite recent progress in reducing energy consumption, substantial efforts are needed to meet the new 2030 energy efficiency targets.
The progress report is based on the 8th EAP monitoring framework, presented by the Commission in 2022. It monitors and assesses progress in achieving climate and environmental objectives in the EU and its 27 Member States. Building on data evidence and expertise, the report assesses EU progress towards climate neutrality, a resource-efficient economy, reversing biodiversity loss and cutting pollution.
More Information
- EEA progress report on the 8EAP
- EEA assessment of the indicators of the 8EAP monitoring framework
- 8th Environment Action Programme, Decision (EU) 2022/591
- Monitoring framework for the 8th Environment Action Programme, COM(2022)357 final
Source: European Commission | Energy, Climate change, Environment | Environment | News (https://tinyurl.com/3xpm97ky)