🌱 Why has lawsuit been brought?
Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe and Global Legal Action Network (GLAN) have brought a court case against the European Commission (EC) over what they call “grossly inadequate” climate targets for 2030. According to the two, the EU’s current climate ambitions do not align with the 1.5°C limit of the Paris Agreement. CAN Europe had previously filed a similar lawsuit against the EC, but this was not admitted. The two non-profit groups now hope that the landmark ruling from the KlimaSeniorinnen v. Switzerland case in April 2024 will help their current case.
🌱 What does the lawsuit allege?
The two non-profit environmental groups are challenging the emissions limits that the EC has set for EU member states under the EU’s Effort Sharing Regulation. This regulation applies to a number of key sectors – including waste – that together contribute more than half of the EU’s total greenhouse gas emissions. According to CAN and GLAN, the EC has set “unlawful annual emission limits” for several sectors. The two non-profit groups say the impact assessment for the regulation failed to sufficiently factor in the impacts of climate change on the relevant fundamental rights. They also say that the EC has failed to conduct the necessary science-based assessments and make use of the best available climate science when setting these goals. Through the case, the non-profit groups are hoping to move the EC to set out more ambitious emissions rules for 2030.
🌱 What climate targets are there?
Last year, the EU raised its overall emissions reduction goals for 2030 to 55% (based on 1990 levels). Under the EU’s Effort Sharing Regulation, EU member states must reduce their emissions by 10% to 50% (from 2005 levels) in specific sectors. According to leading scientists, global emissions need to be roughly halved by 2030 for there to be any chance of limiting global warming to 1.5C. Environmental groups say that historical polluters like the EU – that have contributed significantly to climate change and have the financial means to pay for climate measures – should be contributing more to achieving this goal. In line with this, CAN and GLAN are calling on the EU to raise its overall emissions reduction goals for 2030 to 65% (based on 1990 levels).
🌱 What happens next?
The current case was brought before the General Court of the EU’s Court of Justice earlier this year. On 27 August 2024, CAN and GLAN submitted the final written arguments to the court. The EC can now provide one more written response before the case moves forward. As the case has been given priority status over other cases by the General Court’s president, it has been “fast-tracked”. The first oral hearing and a judgement are therefore expected for 2025 and early 2026 respectively.
Read more about climate case here:
- https://earth.org/green-groups-sue-european-commission-over-insufficient-emission-reduction-targets/
- https://eandt.theiet.org/2024/08/27/eu-sued-climate-campaigners-failure-meet-emission-targets
- https://www.glanlaw.org/single-post/eu2030-climate-target-case