The EU wants to set itself more ambitious CO2 targets. Is Europe on course for climate neutrality in 2050?
To a certain extent. In terms of emissions trading, the EU is on track with its interim targets for 2030. This applies to CO2 emissions from the energy sector, energy-intensive industry and domestic European air traffic. The same does not apply to other sectors. In transport, buildings and agriculture, the EU needs to step up its game to get to zero by 2050.
What needs to happen?
In the sectors that are not covered by emissions trading for energy and industry, investment incentives for climate-friendly cars and the modernization of buildings are an important lever. We should link the running costs of vehicles and heating more closely to CO2 emissions. One possibility for such CO2 pricing would be a European emissions trading system for petroleum products – which, however, should be set up separately or alongside the existing system.