Next week EU leaders have a chance to reach a deal on the 2050 climate neutrality target. If heads of state and government agree to this, it should begin to steer investments in the greening of the EU economy. This is particularly important for the EU’s biggest CO2 emitters, where much of the financing will be needed; our buildings.
The EU needs a plan to overcome the housing and climate crises, in order to guarantee quality homes to people and achieve a decarbonized building stock by 2050. The European Green Deal presents an opportunity to deliver on affordable, energy-efficient housing, writes Femke de Jong.
The circular economy will be an essential building block of a climate-neutral Europe. This can’t be achieved without focusing on the built environment. For this, the EU needs to confirm its commitment to provide direction and a predictable business environment against the 2050 horizon.
The EU’s strategic agenda for the coming five years needs to prioritise investment in our buildings, if leaders hope to overcome the main challenges facing Europe today.
EU member states can enable the upscaling of good examples of local climate action by closing loopholes in the Effort Sharing Regulation, a centerpiece of the EU's climate policy, write Claire Roumet and Femke de Jong.
Amid calls from heavy industry to get more free pollution permits in the name of a ‘fair’ EU carbon market, Europe’s workers, taxpayers, and the climate must not be forgotten in the system’s design reform, writes Femke de Jong.
As the negotiations on Europe’s key climate policies draw to an end, it is time to take stock and ask if Europe, a self-proclaimed climate leader, is really delivering on its international commitments, writes Femke De Jong.
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