Jack Loughran Tue 27 Aug 2024
Collected at: https://eandt.theiet.org/2024/08/27/eu-sued-climate-campaigners-failure-meet-emission-targets
Climate campaigners are suing the EU over its climate ambitions, saying they are “alarmingly off-track” from the 1.5°C limit of the Paris Agreement.
According to Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe and the Global Legal Action Network (GLAN), European executives have set “unlawful annual emission limits” by 2030 for a number of key industries across the continent. These include the buildings, agriculture, waste, small industry and transport sectors that cover an estimated 57% of total greenhouse gas emissions from the 27 member countries.
The lawsuit, which was originally filed earlier this year, has been fast-tracked ahead of an oral hearing in 2025.
The NGOs have also called on EU decision-makers to accelerate climate action and take actions that would enable a 65% gross emission reduction by 2030.
Gerry Liston, a senior lawyer with GLAN, said: “The European Court of Human Rights made clear in April that states are obliged to adopt science-based emissions targets consistent with limiting global warming to 1.5°C.
“We have outlined how the EU’s 2030 targets were not derived from best available climate science, a point that the European Commission has not even contested in its defence of our case. Instead, it has tried to have the case struck out on mere technicalities.”
The NGOs point to a series of flaws in the 2030 target and its accompanying Impact Assessment that contravene environmental law.
A hearing at the General Court could be held in the second half of 2025 and a judgement released in early 2026. The campaigners hope the EU will then issue a ruling that forces the commission to review and increase the national annual emissions limits.
“We have to use all available channels to push the commission to bring the EU’s climate ambition on track with its fair share for the 1.5°C goal of the Paris Agreement. The EU has to ramp up emissions reduction and achieve at least a 65% cut by 2030 if it wants to be a credible actor,” said Sven Harmeling, head of climate at CAN Europe.
This case was given priority over other cases by the president of the General Court of the EU.
In April, a report found that Europe would have to invest at least €800bn by 2030 to meet its climate goals. The European Round Table for Industry, an influential Brussels lobby group, argued that substantial investments in both national and cross-border infrastructure for power grids, energy storage and carbon capture facilities were needed.
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