Law on climate protection

The Hungarian parliament passed a law on climate protection committing to protect the natural heritage and “the natural conditions of the way of life that we Hungarians have created together in this country”. The document stresses that the scope of the policy set out in the law must apply to the whole Carpathian Basin, be in line with international and EU commitments, allow for new nuclear energy and proportionate measures.The law is based on a bill that aimed at declaring national emergency over the climate crisis. Instead, it sets targets of GHG emission reductions and a climate neutrality goal for 2050. During the same parliamentary session, a provision allowing municipalities to regulate emergency incineration by decree was repealed. The provision also determines that the National Climate Protection Authority has access to the National Environmental Information System for its tasks related to the EU ETS.