This Plan was released by Commission President von der Leyen. It aims to enhance the competitiveness of Europe's net-zero industry and support the fast transition to climate neutrality. It is a preliminary of the proposed Net-Zero Industry Act and the Critical Raw Materials Act, and an unofficial response to the USA's Inflation Reduction Act.

Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/X amends Regulation (EU) 2017/2400 as regards the determination of the CO2 emissions and fuel consumption of medium and heavy lorries and heavy buses and to introduce electric vehicles and other new technologies.

This strategy aims at accelerating solar energy deployment in the EU, ensuring access to sustainable solar energy, and promote international cooperation in the field of solar energy

This document specifies the REPowerEU plan's objectives to strengthen the union's energetic security of supply reducing GHG emissions. The strategy details how the Commission intends to 1) diversify the EU's gas supplies, 2) prepare the EU for renewable hydrogen trade, 3) reduce dependency on energy imports other than gas, 4) prioritise energy savings and efficiency, 5) supporting partners impacted by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, 6) Leading and accelerating the global green and just energy transition, and 7) Laying the foundations of the new global energy system.

This plan has been prepared by the EU Commission and seeks to "rapidly reduce dependence on Russian fossil fuels and fast forward the green transition". It sets the Commission's specific objectives in that regard, calls for enhancing targets' ambitions, and is supported by a number of strategies and plans, such as the EU solar strategy, the EU 'Save Energy' communication and the Biomethane action plan.&nbsp; The plan notably aims to 1) improve long-term energy efficiency measures, including an increase from 9% to 13% of the binding Energy Efficiency Target under the ‘Fit for 55' package, 2) diversify supplies, 3) scale up and speeding-up of renewable energy, and 4) reduce fossil fuel consumption in industry and transport. The plan further quantifies the investments needed to meet the targets; for the Commission, an additional investment of €210 billion between now and 2027 is required.

Deforestation is largely driven by the expansion of agricultural land that is linked to the production of commodities like soy, beef, palm oil, wood, cocoa, coffee, rubber and some of their derived products, such as leather, chocolate, tyres, or furniture. As a major economy and consumer of these commodities linked to deforestation and forest degradation, the EU introduced regulation to prevent deforestation.&nbsp;Under the regulation, any operator or trader who places these commodities on the EU market, or exports from it, must be able to prove that the products do not originate from recently deforested land or have contributed to forest degradation.&nbsp;The&nbsp;regulation on deforestation-free products&nbsp;repeals the&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(0, 68, 148);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/forests/deforestation/illegal-logging/timber-regulation_en" target="_blank">EU Timber Regulation</a>.&nbsp;As of 29 June 2023, operators and traders will have&nbsp;18 months to implement the new rules. Micro and small enterprises will enjoy a longer adaptation period, as well as other specific provisions.

Regulation (EU) 2023/957 introduces amendments to Regulation (EU) 2015/757 in order to provide for the inclusion of maritime transport activities in the EU Emissions Trading System and for the monitoring, reporting and verification of emissions of additional greenhouse gases and emissions from additional ship types.

This Regulation establishes the Social Climate Fund for the period from 2026 to 2032. The Social Climate Fund shall provide financial support to Member States for the measures and investments included in their Social Climate Plans (the ‘Plans’). To be eligible for funding, each Member State should submit to the Commission a Social Climate Plan (the ‘Plan’). The Plans should be submitted by 30 June 2025 so that they can be given careful and timely consideration. The Plans should have an investment component that promotes the long-term goal of reducing fossil fuels reliance while incorporating measures, including temporary direct income support, to mitigate adverse effects on income in the shorter term.&nbsp; The Social Climate Fund will be funded in part through the EU Emissions Trading Scheme revenues. The measures and investments supported by the Fund shall benefit households, micro-enterprises and transport users, which are vulnerable and particularly affected by the inclusion of greenhouse gas emissions from buildings and road transport within the scope of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, in particular households in energy poverty or households in transport poverty.

The EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) allows for a price to be put on the carbon emitted during the production of carbon intensive goods that are entering the EU, and to encourage cleaner industrial production in non-EU countries. The gradual introduction of the CBAM from October 2023 is aligned with the phase-out of the allocation of free allowances under the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) to support the decarbonisation of EU industry.&nbsp; The CBAM will initially apply to imports of certain goods and selected precursors whose production is carbon intensive and at most significant risk of carbon leakage: cement, iron and steel, aluminium, fertilisers, electricity and hydrogen. CBAM will eventually – when fully phased in – capture more than 50% of the emissions in EU ETS covered sectors. By confirming that a price has been paid for the embedded carbon emissions generated in the production of certain goods imported into the EU, the CBAM is intended to ensure the carbon price of imports is equivalent to the carbon price of domestic production, and that the EU's climate objectives are not undermined.&nbsp;

This Directive amends the previous directive governing the reporting of non-financial information in financial disclosures. It extends the scope of reporting obligations to a much wider set of companies headquartered or operating in the European Union. They new obligations will apply from the 2024 financial year. The Directive requires member states to introduce measures to ensure that sustainability disclosures include information on plans and strategies to ensure a corporate entity's business model and strategy are compatible with the transition to a sustainable economy, the global temperate target of 1.5 Degrees, and the goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050, as well as the exposure of the entity to coal, oil and gas. The Commission is mandated to adopt delegated acts supplementing the Directive and providing sustainability reporting standards for both large entities and small and medium sized businesses. These shall specify that reporting should include scope 1, 2 and "where relevant" scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions. Businesses are also required to report on social and human rights factors. Reporting standards should be aligned with the work of the Task Force for Climate Related Financial Disclosures.

European Union. 2022 National Inventory Report (NIR), National Inventory Report from European Union in 2022

European Union's Adaptation communication, Adaptation Communication from European Union in 2021

Ethiopia First NDC (Updated submission), Nationally Determined Contribution from European Union in 2021

European Union. 2021 National Inventory Report (NIR), National Inventory Report from European Union in 2021

European Union First NDC (Updated submission), Nationally Determined Contribution from European Union in 2020

Directive 2014/89/EU establishing a framework for maritime spatial planning

Approved

This document establishes a framework for maritime spatial planning aimed at promoting the sustainable growth of maritime economies, the sustainable development of marine areas and the sustainable use of marine resources. Article 5 on the objectives of maritime spatial planning states that "Member States shall aim to contribute to the sustainable development of energy sectors at sea, of maritime transport, and of the fisheries and aquaculture sectors, and to the preservation, protection and improvement of the environment, including resilience to climate change impacts. In addition, Member States may pursue other objectives such as the promotion of sustainable tourism and the sustainable extraction of raw materials." Article 8 on setting up maritime spatial plans stipulates that activities contained within this documents may include the production of energy from renewable sources.

Directive 2014/89/EU establishing a framework for maritime spatial planning

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