Minister Mikkonen: Agreement on European Climate Law a major step towards a climate-neutral Europe ​​​​​​​

The EU Member States, European Parliament and Commission reached a provisional agreement on the European Climate Law early on Wednesday 21 April. With this law, the objective of a climate-neutral EU by 2050 is written into binding legislation. The Climate Law also includes EU’s climate target of  at least 55% by 2030.

“Agreement on the Climate Law a major step towards a climate-neutral Europe. Now we must focus our attention to implementing the targets and to the Commission’s legislative package that is expected in June. Most of the emission reductions should take place in the emissions trading sector. The 55% target must be seen as the minimum, and the EU’s measures and incentives must be designed in such a way that the target will be exceeded,” Minister of the Environment and Climate Change Krista Mikkonen says.

“Climate Law is also an important signal for the Leader’s Climate Summit hosted by the United States at the end of this week. The targets written into the legislation will prove that the EU is a reliable partner in international climate policy: we are systematically incorporating our promises into binding legislation. We are doing our part, and with our solutions and policy measures we urge others to do the same,” Mikkonen says.

The Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change to be set up under the European Environment Agency will produce scientific data and knowledge to support decision-making in the EU.

“The targets must always be set on the basis of the most recent scientific knowledge. This is why it is important that the EU will also have an independent advisory body similar to the Climate Change Panel we have in Finland to support its work.”

The European Climate Law is the first major legislative instrument concerning climate policy in the context of the European Green Deal.

The preliminary agreement that has now been reached is still pending formal adoption by the Member States’ representatives and the European Parliament.

• Commission’s press release on provisional agreement on the Climate Law

• EU Council’s press release on provisional agreement on the Climate Law

Inquiries

Riikka Yliluoma
Special Adviser to the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change
+358 50 414 1682
[email protected]

Laura Aho
Ministerial Adviser
+358 29 525 0135
[email protected]