Europe's Economic Recovery – How can the Recovery and Resilience Facility support achieving climate neutrality?

Publication: Document
Citation: Szazadveg Foundation, 300Gospodarka, Ecologic Institut 2020: Europe's Economic Recovery – How can the Recovery and Resilience Facility support achieving climate neutrality?. Berlin.

In July 2020, the European Council agreed on an unprecedented EU recovery package – dubbed Next Generation EU. This agreement contains elements that will advance EU climate policies. However, if it is to pave the way to climate neutrality by 2050, it needs to improve. To support achieving climate neutrality by 2050, the EU recovery package should

allocate around 40 % of funding to the transition towards climate neutrality,
link its climate spending target to the EU Taxonomy Regulation,
establish a solid framework to make sure that EU expenditures only support investments that are compatible with the 2050 climate neutrality objective, (
enable Member States to spend recovery funds for climate protection by granting them more time to implement investments, and
establish an institutional set up for the distribution of recovery funds that supports climate policies, ensures democratic legitimacy and allows swift payment.

These are the main conclusions of a joint paper by Szazadveg Foundation, 300Gospodarka and Ecologic Institute. This paper is part of the project "Building bridges – High Trust Network with Conservative Groups for Ambitious Climate Action", funded by the European Climate Initiative. The project aims at facilitating dialogues on climate policies between conservative and other groups from Hungary, Poland and Germany.

If the EU recovery package 2020 is to pave the way to climate neutrality by 2050, it needs to improve.

It's Time to Put Climate Targets First

Year 2021

Publication:Document

To deliver its climate targets for 2030 and 2050, the EU is starting to reform its climate policies. Extending emission trading to road transport and buildings is among the most consequential proposals for implementing the new targets. This proposal promises stronger economic incentives to reduce emissions, considerable certainties for target achievement and additional revenues to support Europe's decarbonization.

Implementing New EU Climate Targets for 2030 and 2050

Preliminary considerations on ETS extension

Year 2021

Publication:Document

A robust framework is a precondition for the EU to become climate neutral by 2050. Such framework includes, for example, enhanced gross reduction targets for 2030, emission budgets, independent scientific climate advisory bodies, phasing out fossil fuel subsides, and strong support to ensure a just transition in Member States. The spread between national targets from currently 0 % to 40 % should be scaled up, taking into account previous individual emission reduction performance and national capabilities.

Preliminary Considerations for Establishing more Ambitious 2030 EU Climate Goals

Year 2020

Publication:Article

The danger of a rebound in greenhouse gas emissions after the coronavirus crisis is looming on the horizon. Michał Dorociak and Michał Kamiński of 300Gospodarka, and Nils Meyer-Ohlendorf discuss in an OpEd for the EU Observer how the EU recovery programmes can avoid post-crisis emission increases.

How to Recover from Corona without Choking the Planet

Year 2020

Publication:Document

The Corona crisis offers three important lessons for climate policies and Europe's economic recovery. First, systemic shocks – like the Corona pandemic or climate change – affect the foundations of modern societies. Second, resiliency, preparedness and time are existential factors in addressing systemic crises. Third, the world’s economic recovery must help build efficient, innovative and climate neutral economies. In turn, calls to delay climate policies draw the wrong lessons from the current crisis and undermine Europe's economic recovery. All countries, including the EU, must accelerate their emission reductions drastically.

Europe's Economic Recovery – Climate Neutral, Fair and Innovative

Year 2020

Project

Ecologic Institute starts dialogue with conservative climate and energy policy makers. The dialogue aims to build bridges for effective climate action through all segments of society. The project is carried by Ecologic Institute in cooperation with Szazadveg Foundation, a Hungarian Think Tank. The dialogue consists of a number of meetings, publications and a concluding conference in Brussels.

Building Bridges – A High Trust Network with Conservative Groups for Ambitious Climate Action

Dec 2019 - May 2021

Language: English
Funding: Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU), Germany

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Germany
Year: 2020
Dimension: 7 pp.
Project: Building Bridges – A High Trust Network with Conservative Groups for Ambitious Climate Action
Project ID: 3209
Keywords: Climate

Energy

Governance

climate policy, energy policy, climate change, acceptance, European climate and energy policy, European Union, conservative parties, high trust network, societal consensus

Hungary, Poland, Germany, Europe

Further Links

PublicationDocumentEurope's Economic Recovery – Climate Neutral, Fair and Innovative

Szazadveg Foundation, 300Gospodarka, Ecologic Institute 2020: Europe's Economic Recovery – Climate Neutral, Fair and Innovative. Berlin.