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04 Jul, 2025
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- The European Commission has proposed a legally binding goal to reduce net Green House Gas emissions by 90% by 2040, compared to 1990 levels.
EU Recent Plan to Curb Green House Gas Emissions
- The 2040 milestone is built to ensure trajectory to the 2050 climate-neutral goal, offering policy clarity to citizens, industrial investment, and global diplomacy.
- Carbon Offsets from Outside Europe: From 2036 onwards, countries can meet up to 3% of their reduction target through carbon credits generated from climate projects outside the EU.
- Technological Neutrality: The EU is open to all types of clean or low-carbon technologies to reduce pollution, like Renewable energy, Nuclear energy, Carbon capture and storage (CCS), and Carbon removal.
Fit for 55 Mission
- Fit for 55 package targets a 55% cut by 2030, expanding European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) and rolling out the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).
- The package covers various policy areas including climate, energy, transport, buildings, land use, and taxation.
- To reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels.
India’s Commitment to Reduce Emissions
- Under its updated NDC 2022, India pledges.
- 45% reduction in emissions intensity (amount of CO₂ per unit of GDP) by 2030, compared to 2005 levels.
- 50% of installed electricity capacity will come from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030.
- Creating a carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent (GtCO₂e) by increasing forests and tree cover.
- India pledges to achieve Net Zero emission by 2070.
Challenges to Reduce Emission
- The EU faces challenges in reducing GHG emissions due to industrial resistance seeking relaxed rules, reliance on foreign carbon credits that may shift the burden to poorer nations, and slow progress in the transport sector, where road emissions remain high.
- Industrial Resistance: Some industries are pushing back against stricter emission caps and the phase-out of free allowances, potentially slowing down progress.
- Transport Sector: The transport sector, especially road transport, continues to be a major source of emissions, and progress in decarbonizing this sector has been slow.
- India’s Heavy Dependence on Coal: Coal still fuels ~75% of Indian emissions. Also, the steel industry is growing fast and still depends heavily on coal, which adds to the pollution problem.
Conclusion
- The EU’s 2040 climate target represents a critical midpoint between ambition and feasibility in the journey toward net zero.
- While the inclusion of carbon offsets provides tactical flexibility, it also raises important ethical and governance questions.
- For India and the Global South, it reinforces the need to advocate for just and equitable climate action in global platforms while preparing domestic policies for a green future.
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